Our softball community has lost a family member.

Heartbreaking news out of Colorado today as it was announced that 2028 outfielder Charlie Halliday, who was a member of the Riverdale Ridge (Thornton, Colo.) High Ravens softball program and a travel ball player with the Colorado Batbusters 16U team, passed away Wednesday overnight from injuries suffered in a car accident last Friday evening.

She had been at Lutheran Hospital in Wheat Ridge, Colo. since the accident.

Charlie had previously played for the Colorado Stars 16U team coached by Fermin Ruiz, which played in this summer’s PGF 16U Platinum Nationals, before she transitioned recently to the Batbusters program run by Joe Smith.

She was set to play for the Batbusters 16U team and Smith regrets that he won’t get to work with her after hearing so many positive reports on the promising young athlete:

“I am sad I’m not going to get to know her better,” he said this afternoon. “I have heard so many wonderful stories about her and her family. They are incredible people and Charlie was an incredible kid.”

In her SportsRecruits profile, Charlie had written how much she loved playing softball.

“My name is Charlie Halliday,” she wrote, “and I have been playing softball for as long as I can remember. I have been playing on Stars for three years now and I am so grateful we get to go to top level tournaments and receive the great coaching I get.

The athlete’s sister-in-law, Emily Halliday Henderson, was working with the Riverdale Ridge High softball program to sell blankets to help raise money for the family, presumably for medical costs.

Also, a GoFundMe was started with the goal to raise $10,000 which was later raised to $16,000.

Click HERE to see the GoFundMe for Charlie and her family.

At the time of this article being published, over $9,000 (57%) had been raised.

An updated post on the page reads as follows:

Update on Charlies fight:

It is with incredibly heavy hearts that we share that Charlie’s fight has come to an end, and she is now at peace.

There are simply no words for the loss of such a beautiful, spunky young woman who was so deeply loved. Charlie touched so many lives, through her family, her friends, her teammates, her school, and the entire community that rallied around her.

We are beyond grateful for every prayer, message, donation, share, and act of kindness that has surrounded Charlie and her family. The love shown to them has been overwhelming and means more than we can possibly express.

Now, Charlie’s family needs our support more than ever.

As they face an unimaginable loss, we want to give them the space and time they need to grieve without also having to carry the financial burdens that come with it. We are asking our community to continue surrounding this family with love, prayers, and support in the difficult days and weeks ahead.

If you are able to donate, please know that every contribution will go toward helping Charlie’s family with the expenses they are facing and allowing them to focus on one another.

If you cannot donate, sharing this fundraiser and continuing to keep the family in your thoughts and prayers means just as much.

Charlie fought hard, and an entire community fought alongside her. Now, that same community will stand beside the people who loved her most.

We love you, Charlie.

Forever #4. Forever loved.

To go directly to the GoFundMe and donate, click HERE.

We will have more on Charlie in the near future as more tributes come in for her…

— Brentt Eads/Line Drive Softball