Graham “Gray” Fontaine Solana, 14, died Monday, February 9, 2015, from cardiac arrest triggered by a rare heart condition, Long QT Syndrome, known to strike without warning.

Gray was born on February 11, 2000 in Savannah and lived in the same home his entire short but wonderful life.  As a freshman at St. Andrew’s, Gray enjoyed basketball, acting, and history.  Prior to St. Andrew’s, Gray attended Hancock Day School from Kindergarten through eighth grade.  In Middle School he won several athletic awards, including the 2011 Coaches Award and the 2014 William Bell Scholar Athlete in both basketball and flag football.  He was voted president of the Hancock Student Body in eighth grade and at graduation was presented the Outstanding Achievement in Music Award and was recognized for missing one day of school in six years.

Gray loved his family, friends, crabbing, tubing, anything involving UGA and SEC football, and the Celtics.  He loved his church family at Isle of Hope Methodist Church.  Grayzie was a good boy who loved his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and was baptized in the Skidaway River last year to show it.  Gray’s name is inscribed in the Book of Life.  Words to describe him would be easy-going, assertive, unassuming, analytical, genuine, loyal, even-tempered, guileless, and sweet.  He was a natural leader who loved to speak the truth in a forthright but gentle way.  We are confident that our generous fellow is delighted with our decision to donate his organs that others might live.

We are deeply grateful to Ken Hardigan, Pat Broderick, Cray, Jeannie, Amy, and countless other heroes at Memorial who worked valiantly on Gray’s behalf.

Gray was predeceased by his grandfathers, Joseph Mathew Solana, Jr. and Corrin Fitts Bowers.

He is survived by his parents, Graham and Mark Fontaine Solana; his big brothers, Joseph Mathew Solana II, and Henry Jackson McKoy Solana, his little sister, Mary Tippins Solana; paternal grandmother, Carolyn Wood Solana of Savannah; maternal grandmother, Mary Eleanor Wiggins Bowers of Estill, South Carolina; Great-Uncles and Great-Aunts, Elmo (Betty) Weeks,  Lolly Solana McGee, Bro (Vivienne) Wiggins, and Macie Bowers; aunts and uncles, Debbie and John Rauers, Matt and Marilyn Solana, David and Nancy Solana, Shay and Roy Green, Bud and Sallie Bowers, Liz and Mitch Palles; Geraldine Brantley, and Tombo and Jan Folk; cousins, John and Deana Green and family, Corrin and Hanna Green and family, Andrew and Lizzy Green, Mitchell Palles, Mary Crane and David Orne, Corrin Fitts Bowers, Louisa and Brandon Beach and family, Amy and James Whitaker and family, Katie and Craig Beese, Page and Miller Hamrick and family, Nancy Hauser and family, Jacob Rauers, Chris Rauers; and a host of other family and friends who loved our “Big Easy” in a big way.

The family will receive friends on Thursday from 5:30 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. at Fox & Weeks Funeral Directors, Hodgson Chapel.

The funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, February 13, 2015, at Isle of Hope United Methodist Church, 412 Parkersburg Road, on Isle of Hope.  Interment will follow in the Greenwich Section of Bonaventure Cemetery.  Following the interment, the family will receive friends at a reception at Isle of Hope United Methodist Church.

Pallbearers will be his cousins, John Green, Corrin Green, Andrew Green, Mitchell Palles, Corrin Fitts Bowers, Jacob Rauers, Christopher Rauers, and Jackson Wiggins.

Honorary Pallbearers include his past and present teammates, Small Group, and his Best Buddies.

In lieu of flowers the family suggests memorials to Christ Child Nest (a Guatemalan Orphanage), c/o Isle of Hope United Methodist Church, 412 Parkersburg Rd., Savannah, GA 31406, Sudden Arrhythmia Death Syndrome (SADS) Foundation, 508 East South Temple # 202, Salt Lake City, UT 84102 or at www.sads.org, or to Help Hope Live, Two Radnor Corporate Center, 100 Matsonford Rd., Suite 100, Radnor, PA 19087, designated Gerry Brantley S.C. Kidney.

Soli Deo Gloria