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'Part of our family' | Carson-Newman remembers pregnant woman, child killed by driver

The football team is honoring Sierra and Nolan Cahoon by placing a heart-shaped sticker on their helmets.

JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. — The Carson-Newman Eagles' uniforms have a new addition: a red heart-shaped sticker that simply reads "CAHOON."

The stickers honor the Cahoon family. In June, authorities said a driver intentionally struck and killed Sierra Cahoon, 30, and her 2-year-old son, Nolan. Cahoon was pregnant.

The husband and father, Matt Cahoon, has been an athletic trainer with Carson Newman for seven years. 

Mike Turner, head football coach at Carson-Newman University, said the university community wanted to show Cahoon their support.

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"He's a part of our family, and every time we have somebody in our family that's hurting, we certainly wanna let them know we love them, and care for them, and in some small way know that we're honoring them and remembering them," Turner said. 

Turner said the Carson-Newman community is grieving with Cahoon.

"We were heartbroken," he said.

Turner said the stickers are a powerful reminder for the players -- and he wants Cahoon to know the community is behind him.

"We just want him to know that every game, our kids are gonna put that helmet on and they're gonna see that name and see that heart," Turner said.

Sierra Cahoon was an interior designer and stay at home mother. Her family is originally from Maryland. 

Friends of the family say Nolan was a bright, happy toddler. Mike Van Bruggen, director of sports medicine at Carson-Newman, told 10News in June that he spoke to Nolan the morning before it happened. 

"He’s talking in sentences now and he's acting like a little boy, rather than an infant. It’s really something that will always stick with me," Van Bruggen said. 

Carson-Newman held a gathering for the family and said the turnout was strong. Van Bruggen said the family needs the community's prayers.

"But they’re strong people and they’re finding their strength in the Lord," he said.  

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