CENTERVILLE --Following the death of their son, Seth, Cody and Charli Fraughton went through some of his personal items. Among them was an eight-inch stack of letters from college football coaches who were courting the incoming Viking senior to take his talents to their team next year. But something that stood out for Cody was the poetry Seth had penned recently. Seth's character showed through the words he had written.

"Seth was going to find the good things to do in his life and see those things through," Cody said. "In his poetry, it was clear that Seth's will would not bend."

Fraughton died Saturday at Bear Lake, in what officials are calling, "a freak drowning accident." It took search crews about seven hours of combing the lake before finding Seth's body. He was eventually found with the help of sonar technology. An autopsy is being performed to determine the cause of Seth's death, but he reportedly told a friend he was tired before he went swimming.

Fraughton, the star running back, was a 4.0 student who excelled in track and football where he was feared and respected by opponents and admired by his peers.

"Seth was not only a great athlete," said fellow Viewmont senior captain Sam Graham. "He was a great person. He chose to go after good things and would work as hard as he needed to achieve those things."

Just days before the accident, Cody told Seth he wanted to have a father-son interview. During that private time, the two discussed the upcoming football season and the Vikings' team goal to win the 5A state championship.

"I talked to Seth about the importance of also having personal goals during football season," Cody said. "I told Seth that the personal goals would help the team achieve its goal of being state champions."

"Seth looked me straight in the eye and said, 'Dad, my job is to get a first down every time I touch the ball and that's what I will do.'"

Seth's comment didn't surprise his father.

"Seth has always been very dependable. Seth had a passion to do the right thing in all aspects of his life. With football, he didn't care if his name or picture was in the newspaper. Most of the time he wouldn't even read it or listen to the media reports because all he cared about was doing his job so the team could succeed."

Viewmont head coach Robbie Gunter was most impressed by Seth as an entire person, not just the athlete.

"Of course we'll remember Seth's athletic abilities, but it's not the first thing that will come to our minds as time goes on," Gunter said. "We will remember a friend, a person of great character and a person who was kind and giving. We loved Seth when he was here with us and we love him now. We miss him and we want to do what we can to support his family during this tough time."

"Seth had the heart of a champion. He was an inspiration to me and all of us at Viewmont."

Graham believes Seth's passing will prove an inspiration for the Viking football team this season.

"Seth will always be in the back of our minds," Graham said. "When we get tired, we'll think of Seth and it will keep us moving because Seth was the hardest working person I've ever known. He refused to give up on anything."

As proof of Fraughton's overall impact on the lives he touched, when an impromptu gathering at Viewmont High School took place late Saturday night and news continued to spread about the tragedy, those showing up to grieve were from every corner of the Viewmont community.

As one young lady said, "It didn't matter if you were an athlete, in the band, the choir, or if you were the kind of person who came to school and just left when your classes were over, Seth was your friend. He chose to be kind to everyone and you can tell so by all of the different types of people who are here tonight."

Cody hopes his son's legacy will live on through those left behind.

"Seth really was a good kid," Cody said. "He was understanding, a fierce competitor in sports and his academics. But most important was that he was great with people. That's what I hope would be his legacy."

sschulte@davisclipper.com