MONROE — The Monroe community mourned the loss of MHS senior Carson Buholzer, who passed away in a car accident on Wednesday, Oct. 25. Buholzer’s fellow classmates, though hurting, showed their love with hints of green.

The student section wore green during Monroe’s Level 2 playoff game on Friday, Oct. 27, the dance team wore green ribbons in their hair during their halftime performance and the football team ran through a sign that read “MHS Stronger Together We love Carson.” 

Hassan Mustafa, Buholzer’s soccer teammate and close friend, said the color represents support, family and connection. It was also Buholzer’s favorite color. While the loss hit Mustafa hard, he knows there are other people grieving like him.

“I’m grateful I got a full season with him. It’s going to be hard not seeing him on the ice this winter,” Mustafa said. “It’s one day at a time. We will get through it together.”

On Sunday, Oct. 29, the boys and girls soccer teams and alumni got together for a pick-up game of soccer in Buholzer’s honor. The array of athletes that came out showed just how many people Buholzer affected.

“He had the ability to make everyone around him laugh, even after a tough game or during a losing season,” assistant coach Katelyn Lindberg said. “The kind of player who never gave up, and left everything he had on the field every game he played. He was an incredible teammate and friend to everyone.”

Buholzer’s youth hockey team, the Wisconsin Jr Stars, also created a GoFundMe on behalf of the Buholzer family. The proceeds will go toward a memorial fund in Buholzer’s name. Donations can be made at https://www.gofundme.com/f/carson-buholzer.