My Brother's Keeper

Major tragedies have a way of stopping people in their tracks — losing those close to you, especially family, is paralyzing. It changes a person forever. For some, enduring such life-altering events provides a new perspective on life. Some survivors of said tragedies discover newfound motivation to not just continue on, but to excel in all they do.

Meet Carsyn Griffis, a Tallulah Falls native and standout swimmer and cross country runner entering her junior year of high school. She's lived through pain and loss that few can relate to at her age, losing both her brother and dad in the span of four months in 2021. The sudden death of her 20-year old sibling Caleb in a tragic motorcycle crash less than two years after going to Clemson from TFS, coupled with losing her dad, Stan, impacts Carysn's life to this day and beyond. It hasn't just changed what she does - but how she does it. She keeps their memories alive in bettering herself as well as the people around her.

"After losing my dad and brother, I thought that I couldn't continue in the life that I live," says Carsyn. "I am continuing, and doing better than ever, sometimes. I know they are proud of me. I hope they are forever proud of me."

She has spent the last several years paying homage in several ways to her dad and brother, striving to be the best version of herself. A glance in the past, combined with an inward inspection, creates a big future for Carsyn. She continues to be inspired by her brother, especially when it comes to athletics.

"Caleb has become my greatest influence," states Carsyn. "He worked hard in all of his sports that he was involved in. He constantly strived to become better. Making him proud has been my driving force in athletics. I often want life to go by fast and get to the next stage, like college. We are not guaranteed tomorrow, and it took a major life event for me to realize it. Caleb lived a life of no regrets. He used every second of every day to better himself or help others. I want to live a life like Caleb did. I hope that he is proud of everything that I accomplish. I strive to carry on in life to the best of my abilities to make him proud. I wish I could hear him say 'I am proud of you.' Until then, I have to tell myself that he is proud of me."

Caleb often was found at the gym at 4 AM, and is credited with getting Carsyn into cross country.

"His favorite things were shoes and running," Carsyn adds. "He wanted me to share the same passions as him, so he encouraged me to run cross country. He wrote me a sticky note on my mirror at the beginning of my sixth-grade cross country season saying 'Run Fast = Cool Shoes' and 'P.S. Run Fast.' I now write it on my running shoes to encourage me to run like him."

Carsyn received the memo. She was a steady presence on the cross country team last season, finishing third on the team with a 24:03 time, good for 56th overall at the state meet as the Lady Indians put up a program-best 7th-place finish. She had put away running for awhile after middle school, but picked it up again just last season.

"In the summer before my sophomore year, I decided to give it one more chance," she says. "We qualified for state. I ran the state meet with full effort thinking of my brother the whole time. I finished the race with a personal best. I knew that my brother would be so proud of me."

While she has done well in cross country, she's arguably even better in the pool. She was a vital part of last year's 200 Medley Relay (4th at state), 200 Free Relay (5th), and 400 Free Relay (9th). The former event set a school record in the process with a final time of 1:57.29.

"My favorite thing about swimming is the relays. The relays are fun to compete in because you must work as a team to accomplish one big goal. I love hearing the crowd cheer after we finish. My favorite memory is setting the school record. We were very close to another school record as well. Another swim memory has left an impact on me. I have swam for seven years. When I reached high school, my goal was to get an individual state cut qualifying time. My freshman year I missed the time by .01 seconds. Then came back sophomore year ready to get that time. I had worked so hard. I not only got one state cut, I got two. That moment looking at the scoreboard is one I will never forget."

Carsyn qualified in the 100 Free and 100 Back last season. For her efforts, she earned 2nd Team All-State honors by the Georgia High School Swimming Coaches Association. The aspiring collegiate swimmer and ultimately Occupational Therapist has learned to manage her time wisely. That discipline comes whether it's in the pool, classroom, on the course, in an FCA Huddle as a leader, or elsewhere. Time is precious to her.

"Cherish time," she reminds herself. "Time is something that you can never get back. I am often hit with memories and I want to go back. It is easy to dwell on the past, but we must look towards the future."

Sometimes that means slowing life down to enjoy the fun moments. For Carsyn, she helps the swim team enjoy 'Fun Fridays' throughout the season.

"We incorporate teamwork into fun little games or competitions," she says. "One year, we had to come up with a synchronized swimming routine. My team did fun little kicks and tricks. We watched other teams and their ideas. We laughed about our ideas and other teams' performances. As a team, we still laugh about this memory two years later."

While Tallulah Falls has had a major impact on Carsyn, she's more than returned the favor, making memories and friends that last a lifetime.

"TFS provides a family. It is a community like no other and feels like a family. I have grown friendships that have become like family. My family chose TFS for the education along with the community.

Carsyn's mom is Tamara Griffis, the head coach of the swim teams and the Student Support and Media Specialist. Caleb was a 2021 graduate, while Caden graduated in 2020. The family started the Caleb Griffis Memorial Scholarship Foundation in 2021, which awards scholarships at TFS and helps fund ROTC students who need it at Clemson University.

"The Memorial Foundation means carrying his legacy on," adds Carsyn. "Caleb led many people to Jesus and brought joy. He could light up any room that he walked in. He was a great leader in high school as a captain of multiple teams and in ROTC as a squad leader at Clemson University. Our family wanted to help others — something that Caleb loved. It means we get to share who he was with others. To award the scholarship at TFS, we look for people like him. We look for people who are leaders and work hard both in the classroom and on the courts or fields. This scholarship means the world to us and I hope it does to others. I hope people can share the same light Caleb did in this world. We hope that he is remembered forever."

Seven months following his passing, they held the first Fidelis Militus 5K on the TFS cross country course.

"Caleb spent many, many hours training on this course so it seemed fitting to hold our annual 5K at his home course. The name Fidelis Militus is Latin for Faithful Soldier. This has become the foundation's motto since the beginning. Our mission statement focuses on supporting future soldiers and leaders throughout life's toughest obstacles."

Caleb certainly holds the title of Fidelis Militus — Carsyn Griffis does too.

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