WACO, Texas — Waco is mourning the loss of a beloved soul who left a lasting impact on the community, Chris Crain. The 57-year-old lost his life battling cancer on July 23 and was part of the non-profit organization, the Waco GoodFellas.
It's an organization that strives to give back and help families in need during the holiday season. They have given back over a million dollars to the Waco community.
"We've taken care of between 3,000 and 5,000 kids over the 30-year period," Randy Crook, President of the organization, said. "We've seen so many kids go from having a hard time in their life to now they're citizens in our community and they are school teachers, bankers and lawyers, and 20 years ago, they were struggling just to get by."
It's something Crain was passionate about - serving his community with a smile on his face.
Crain was devoted to the GoodFellas and enjoyed raising money for their cause. He loved to help spread good cheer to kids in the community who needed it most.
"He's in the top three best members, and I've seen them all," Crook said.
Despite battling cancer for several years, Crain was always upbeat, encouraging and wore a smile.
"He had a heart of gold," Crook said.
Close friends say Crain truly was one of a kind.
"While he was on his cancer journey, he still mentored and called people every day or every week to check on them and make sure that they were okay," Crain's close friend, Becky Murphy, told 6 News. "Even when he was getting his chemotherapy he still would talk to other people while they were all getting their treatment just to make sure that they were all okay."
Crain was a big family man too. He leaves behind a wife, four children and several grandchildren.
"He was the anchor," Murphy said.
Even though Crain is no longer with Central Texas, his compassion and acts of service will be remembered by all who had the pleasure of meeting him.
"It's a big loss," Murphy added. "It's going to be a hole in our community for a while. He will never be forgotten because he left a footprint on our heart."
A funeral service will be held on Friday, July 26 at 10 a.m. at the Grace Gardens Funeral Home, located at 8220 Woodway Dr, Woodway, TX.
A celebration of life will follow at the Barn in Lorena from 5-8 p.m.
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