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"You always knew Cornelius was there," said 4th grade teacher Emily Blake. "He loved to entertain and make people smile."
Little Cornelius Stabler died Sunday morning. According to Centreville Police Chief Mike Nichols, Cornelius was involved in a shooting incident involving a rifle at approximately 1:30 p.m. Saturday, December 14.
Cornelus had spent the morning doing something he'd loved: playing basketball.
"He was a good kid," said basketball coach Don Mack. "He was spunky, but he also displayed good sportmanship. He was always telling me what he could do. He'd see one of the bigger, older boys doing something and he'd come running up and say 'Mr Don, I can do that'. I'd tell him he was too little, but he was convinced he could do whatever they were doing. He liked to play with the big boys. He was one of the exciting players to watch on the 9-10 year team. And when they needed a fill-in on the older boys' team, he's the one I always sent. If you put the ball in Cornelius' hand, he's going to win and he didn't care how big his opponents were."
Mack said that Cornelius kept Saturday's game tied, then he finally won the game in the free throw.
"He was going home after the game to get his jersey so he could play with the 11- and 12-year-olds," said Mack. "He just never came back."
Cornelius played basketball, football and baseball. When asked where Cornelius got his drive to compete, his older brother, Terrell Morrow, had the answer. "He got it from the family," said Terrell. "I played baseball, our brother, Rodney, plays all three sports and my dad played football and baseball. He got it from the family."
According to Mack, Cornelius' desire to succeed came from his parents, Rodney Stabler and Sonja Morrow.
"Cornelius was short," said Mack. "Everybody was taller than he was. His parents just put it in him that he could do whatever he set his mind to do - and he did it."
Cornelius' success was not only present in athletics. He was a wonderful student, as well.
"He worked hard," said Cornelius' teacher, Emily Blake. "He was always competitive, but he was also cooperate and mannerly. He was a good student."
Cornelius made the A/B honor roll this year.
"He called from school and told Milk of Mama to get her money ready because he'd made the honor roll," said Terrell. "Then he called Dad and, after school, Dad took him to Wal-Mart and bought him a truck."
Cornelius loved trucks. His dad drives a truck and Cornelius was in it every chance he got.
"If Dad was out on the truck at three o'clock in the morning, and Cornelius could be there, too he'd be in that truck with him." said Terrell.
Cornelius also had a passion for music.
"He would try to sing," said one of his classmates, "but he couldn't sing. He could dance, though."
"He loved the blues," said Terrell. "He liked to listen to Sir Charles Jones. I would take him riding around with me every Friday evening until about 7:00 and he'd ride and listen to music."
"He will be missed," said Mack. "The basketball league will miss him and I'll miss him."
"He was always laughing," said Terrell. "Christmas is gone for us. It's going to be sad."
Cornelius is survived by his mother, Sonja Morrow; his father, Rodney Stabler; his brothers, Terrell Morrow, Rodney and David Stabler; and his sister, Sacarria Stabler.
A memorial service is scheduled for Saturday at 12:00 at the Bibb County High School Gym.
According to Nichols, Calan's death is still under investigation by the Centreville Police Department and the Alabama Bureau of Investigation.
