Now in the offseason, rising sophomore Elizabeth Hightower will have free time to devote to collecting flags for the families of fallen soldiers.
Her Call to Duty
Friday, June 14, 2019 | Softball
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By: By Caitlin Todd / FloridaGators.com Correspondent
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — About 10 years ago, on the way to his daughter's softball tournament, Navy Chief James Hightower made a stop on the way in Chiefland, Fla., to attend a funeral. At the time, Hightower worked military funerals and had the honor of ceremonially folding the flags and presenting them to the families of the fallen. His daughter was with him that day. Questions were sparked.
The group is called Flags for Our Fallen. Its members collect American flags that have been flown in public but are no longer in condition to serve as a symbol of the United States and, instead, are donated and dedicated to honoring military families, usually when the proper paperwork — the Department of Veteran Affairs calls it a DD214 form — either fails to be processed in time or falls through the bureaucratic cracks. Hightower, who just completed her freshman season as a pitcher for the Florida softball team, volunteers for the FFOF cause.
"Families still need to get the honor," said Hightower, who less than two weeks ago was pitching for the Gators at the Women's College World Series in Oklahoma City. "This is for people who don't get that honor and don't have the certification to actually get it."
Today is Flag Day in the U.S. because of the efforts of Hightower and all those associated with FFOF, the national observance of this day may have a far greater meaning to some.
UF coach Tim Walton had high praise for his young pitcher's philanthropic efforts, especially given his knowledge of the Hightower family and their proud military background.
"She's a very giving person and a very caring person, [so] that doesn't surprise me at all because what her family has done with the meaning of the flag and the meaning of our country," Walton said. "They live a different life than most people do, and they understand what it is; the meaning of the flag, the defense of the flag and the potential loss of a soldier."
Top: Navy Chief James Hightower folds the flag at a memorial service for a fallen soldier.
Bottom: James and daughter Elizabeth -- then and now, as a pitcher for the Gators.
James Hightower did several tours of duty throughout Elizabeth's life, with the last taking a particular toll. Elizabeth had to say goodbye to her father the day before she underwent reconstructive knee surgery as he headed out for deployment to Saudi Arabia.
"This last time was rough because he was going somewhere that was really dangerous," she said.
James, of course, understood the dangers, which was why he sent a text to Walton, the coach who Elizabeth verbally committed to play for during a decorated career at Aucilla Christian Academy near their home in Monticello, Fla. The message read something like this:
If something ever happens to me, make sure you take care of Elizabeth.
"When I read that, it was like, 'Wow that's heavy,' " Walton said.
He saved that message, in fact, and kept it to himself. It wasn't until last fall, at a time when Hightower was really struggling early in her freshman year -- with her first semester in college, her pitching, a little homesickness -- that Walton made the decision to pull out his phone.
Together, they had a moment. Elizabeth Hightower
"My point wasn't to show her that to make her feel bad," Walton said. "The point was to say 'People care about you and this is just a game, you're playing a game. This other stuff is life.' It was a good turning point for her, honestly. She showed some different signs of growth from then on. I'm not saying that I've got all the answers, but I'm just trying to show her that the reality is, 'So you're not pitching great, OK? You know how many freshmen I've ever had that haven't pitched great? This is no big deal. It's about figuring out how to get a little bit tougher and get your priorities in check here,' and she did. She's a good kid."
Hightower said the text exchange broke her heart because, at the time, she had not put that much thought into her own circumstances. Looking back, she's thankful for that moment, and thankful she ended up at UF.
She's not the only one.
"Dad's happy that I ended up here," she said. "He loves it. I love it."
Hightower went 4-1 during her 2019 freshman season, with her 61.2 innings (to go with a 2.16 ERA, 59 strikeouts, 19 walks) second only to senior standout Kelly Barnhill on the UF pitching staff. When she was called on in relief against Alabama during the WCWS, James Hightower and his wife were in the stands at USA Softball Hall of Fame Stadium in OKC to see their daughter play out one of her childhood dreams.
Now, with her father home after 20 years of service, not only do they get to share softball together, but also work alongside one another in their joint Flags for Our Fallen endeavors.
"It just feels great to help those families" she said. "I've seen so many times how much it's meant to them."
Hightower had a special place in this program long before she was ever actually a part of it. It seems she will also play a special part in the lives of many military families across the state for years to come.
* Flag Day, celebrated on June 14th, commemorates the adoption of the flag of the United States on June 14, 1777. If you would like to learn more about Flags for Our Fallen or contribute to the cause, visit the website at flagsforourfallen.org.
