A football community spent Monday grieving the loss of a friend and mentor after the death of 20-year-old Justin Cunningham of West Valley City.

The Cunningham household is a home away from home for many on the Hunter High School football team.

Justin played in 2000 and 2001 for the team, and the last of three Cunningham brothers, Cade, is the starting quarterback for the Wolverines this year. Justin's father, Joe, is an assistant coach.

"We're pretty close to home here," Wes Wilcken, the Wolverines' head football coach, said Monday.

Justin Cunningham died Saturday when he fell about 125 feet in an attempt to rescue his 15-month-old Doberman pinscher puppy.

Both Cunningham and his pet were swept over Horsetail Falls in the mountains above Alpine. The puppy survived.

Cunningham had been hiking on Dry Creek Trail in a wilderness area with friends. Three dogs went along for the hike. The puppy apparently jumped or fell into a creek that leads to the falls, and Cunningham jumped into the creek in an attempt to save the animal.

"It's been very tough," Joe Cunningham said Monday.

Like most other football game nights, Justin showed up at the field Friday night for the Wolverines' game against Kearns High. He often came to encourage his younger brother from the sidelines. Friday was different. Justin was dressed up and was headed out on a date.

"We sort of joked around with him," Wilcken said. "Like, 'Hey, you clean up pretty nice.' "
Justin loved racing motocross and cars. He was a full-throttle, gung-ho kid, Wilcken said.

Like the other two Cunningham brothers involved with the football program, Justin was team captain. He was also a crew leader for his dad's company, C&H Construction, and several players worked for the company in the summer.

"They are a huge part of our program," Wilcken said. The Cunninghams pitched in to help with things that players couldn't afford - from cleats to dental work. Justin's mother was a Little League mom and host for years of football players who came to the family's home to play, eat and watch game films.

"I am just sick for them," Wilcken said. "It's a huge tragedy."