The homecoming queen gave away her crown to comfort a grieving family and set an example for us all

"I just felt like it was something that was put on my heart," Covington informed CNN. "It was really just for her, to bring up her day a little bit, and she'd rather have her mom than a crown... but the point was, I was telling her that she was her mom's queen and I was just letting her know that she was loved by many and especially me."

"I just felt so like so much love from her, and I just felt so much love for her and the whole school," Walters stated of Covington. "As soon as I got off the field, I just got hundreds of hugs from every single person in the stands."

There had been tears on and off the sector.

Forrest County AHS School's principal Will Wheat tells CNN he's happy with the younger ladies.

"That wasn't preplanned, this was all on the kids, that's the beautiful thing about it," Wheat stated. "We are elated and we are so thrilled over their actions and how it represents the school."

Healing

The two teenagers had been pleasant earlier than homecoming, volunteering collectively at totally different faculty features, however say they've grown nearer because the occasion.

Walters has the crown, which Covington would really like her to maintain, she stated, as a reminder of the second.

"It's just something materialistic, but we put meaning to it so that's why I want her to keep it," she stated.

Sean Walters, Brittany's father, says their family is coping with their grief "day by day."

"Just knowing that there's people out there that care about this story and knowing that, not directly, but maybe indirectly, maybe my life is helping reach a lot of people, and just part of this story is continuing [A.J.], I guess the way that she lived her life," he stated.

He thanked Nyla's mother and father at homecoming, calling them "wonderful people."

"They have done a wonderful job raising their kids. That's what I told them. I said 'it shows how much and how great a job you've done right here. Just the simplest act that she did," he stated.

This previous Saturday, the Walters' held A.J.'s funeral. Her wake was held the identical evening as a faculty soccer sport.

Most of the college confirmed up.

Homecoming evening was arduous in so some ways for Brittany Walters. Her mom had touched the hearts of so many on the faculty and seeing their grief on their faces was arduous to deal with amidst her personal.

But how the evening unfolded -- from a heartfelt act she'll always remember to the assist they felt all evening -- was in line with her mom's spirit.

"I kind of feel like this is her way of continuing to help people because people seeing Nyla doing that will want to make them do something nice," she stated. "That's exactly what she'd want to happen."