That sweet smile, that contagious laugh and a face his friends will never forget, Jacob Roger Schmaus was a 2010 graduate. He was part of the varsity basketball team for two years and the journalism team. Having undergone treatment, he had been clean four months when his death was brought on by a heroin overdose. Friends say Jake touched many hearts and still continues to do so with the stories of how he lived and the cautionary tale of his death.

“Players are supposed to go to my funeral,” Boys basketball coach Ryan Hauge said, “ I’m not supposed to go to theirs.”

A hard worker on the basketball team earned him a varsity spot his junior and senior year. Other coaches had fond memories of Jake during his high school career.

“Jake always had a natural ability to play the game. He just loved basketball”, said Andrew Forbort, Jake’s eighth grade and freshman coach.

Senior Caitlin Luby was good friends with Schmaus. She attended the same church and her oldest sister, Amanda, was in the same grade as Jake.

“I never thought he would be gone”, said Luby, “ Losing someone you grew up with just doesn’t seem real.”

After his death, light blue bracelets were created with his name on them in memory of Jake.

“I keep it on wherever I go,” said Jordan Lemke, who had played basketball with him since seventh grade.“ I can just look down and remember all the good times we have had.”

When Jake’s use of heroin started to intrude on his everyday life, his friends could see the changes. They knew something was different.

“You could really see his isolation from his friends, he wouldn’t do what he usually would,” said good friend Dylan Sowers. “He lost his interests in his hobbies and he became a different person.”

His mother Sheri said the family is working to do fund raisers to raise money for a scholarship in Jake’s name to help someone in recovery. In addition, they are active in the new SFCDA group.

Luby said before Jake started using, he was always smiling and laughing.

“He always knew how to brighten my day,” she said, “and make me smile.”

*Mikee Carter contributed to the reporting of this story.