Rest in Paradise, Toya Jones ❤️ It is with a heavy heart and great sadness that I share the news of the passing of Toya Jones, a proud member of the Refugio High School Class of 1995. Some people come into this world with a special gift, and Toya was one of those people. He was an incredible athlete, a fierce competitor, and, without a doubt, one of the greatest athletes to ever wear the colors of Refugio High School. When Toya stepped onto the track or the field, you knew you were about to witness something special. He had a God-given talent that was truly amazing to watch. I will never forget the excitement of getting in the car and making that drive to Austin to watch Toya compete at the state track meet. There was something special about knowing you were going to watch someone you knew accomplish extraordinary things. And Toya never disappointed. Thirteen gold medals at the state track meets! Just think about that. What an incredible accomplishment. I remember watching him compete and thinking how fortunate I was to witness such greatness firsthand. Those are memories I will always carry with me. When Toya graduated from Refugio, his journey continued to Texas A&M University, where he signed to play football and run track. I would look forward to Saturdays, watching the Aggies play and hoping to catch a glimpse of Toya on that field. Every time I saw him out there, I felt that hometown pride. That was our Toya—a Refugio athlete who had made it to the next level and given us another reason to cheer. It’s hard to put into words what it feels like to hear that someone you remember being so full of life, strength, and promise is gone. Somehow, it just doesn’t seem right. Superheroes aren’t supposed to pass away. And to those of us who watched Toya run, compete, and accomplish things most could only dream of, he truly seemed like a superhero. Today, my heart goes out to Toya’s family, friends, former teammates, classmates, and everyone who loved him. I pray that God wraps His loving arms around each of you and gives you comfort and strength during this difficult time. Toya, thank you for the memories. Thank you for the excitement of those trips to Austin, the Saturday afternoons watching the Aggies, and the pride you brought to Refugio. Thank you for reminding us what determination, talent, and a competitive spirit look like. You may be gone from this earth, but the memories of watching you do what you did best will stay with me forever. I can only imagine the race waiting for you in Heaven. No pain, no struggles, just a golden track and a finish line that never comes too soon. Rest in Paradise, Toya. Until we meet again, I’ll be looking forward to watching you run one more time on that golden track. You were one of a kind, and you will never be forgotten. ❤️🙏🏽