Former Bayside star remembered at service Sunday

MOBILE, AL (WNSP) — Former Bayside Academy football player Henry Wise died in an accident July 4 after the jet ski he was riding collided with a boat in Port St. Joe, FL.

The body of the 19-year-old has yet to be recovered. Wise graduated from Bayside Academy in May and was preparing for college in the fall.

A memorial service was held on Mobile Bay Sunday, and it included his family, friends, and classmates.

AL.com’s Ben Thomas published an article Sunday about Wise’s memorial service.

The memorial service was a celebration of Henry’s life, and according to Thomas, “full of laughter.” Wise’s father, “Sandy,” said he believes God had a plan for Henry.

“’It was a beautiful and honorable ceremony,’ he said. ‘We believe God chooses a time and a place for everyone. July 4 was Henry’s time.’”

Many of Wise’s friends set up for the ceremony Sunday morning, building a cross that was used for the service and preparing a flower bed where the cross was placed after the service.

Even though Wise lived in Daphne and went to Bayside, he had many friends from other schools in both Mobile and Daphne. Wise’s friend Gavin Primm was with the Daphne native when they crashed, but Primm survived after suffering injuries.

Thomas wrote that Primm attended the service on a stretcher.

Wilson Kraus, a student at St. Paul’s and a close friend of Henry’s, said he will remember the impact Wise left on him.

“I was even with him two days before his accident with him riding up front with me in my car,” Kraus said. “He left an impact on all of us that we need to live every day to the fullest. That’s what he did, never just sat at his house ever. He was always doing something fun or exciting no matter what that consisted of.

“I know he has taught me personally that life is a very fragile thing and can be taken at any moment so we should never take a second for granted.”

According to Thomas, Bayside Head of School Michael Papa said the school would leave a light on the bluff in memory of Wise.