#21: The Chris Dhume Story

In January of this year, the Matawan Regional High School community received shocking news.

Their classmate, Chris Dhume, had .

Dhume was co-captain of the Boys' Varsity Soccer team and was the leading scorer in Matawan Regional Soccer history, according to his coach, David Deegan. Dhume, number 21, held the record for the most goals in one season and for the most goals in one career.

He was also well known in Hazlet, where he had played for the Hazlet Bombers, a team in the Hazlet United Soccer Association.

However, according to friends and classmates, Dhume was much more than a soccer player.

"He was an amazing kid," said Alex Rodriguez, a close friend and one of the in his honor.

Dhume's story inspired an older classmate and prospective film-maker Aaron Hobson, now a 20-year-old Media Studies student at Brookdale Community College, to create a documentary about the star athlete's life.

"When I decided to make [the film], I wanted to show how great of a kid he was, as a soccer player but as a friend too," said Hobson.

However, he was hesitant at first. Hobson, who was one grade ahead of Dhume, knew him as a classmate, but did not consider himself a close friend.

"I wasn't sure how people would feel about it," he said. After talking to classmates from high school, professors at Brookdale and a few of Dhume's close friends, he decided to move forward with his idea.

Hobson attended a candlelight vigil held for Dhume in February and then interviewed twelve of Dhume's friends. He also obtained footage of him playing soccer. Just two months later, in April, Hobson finished editing the project which he named #21: The Chris Dhume Story. He gave copies to everyone he interviewed and a copy to Dhume's mother, Val, before showing it for the first time publicly in May.

"His mother told me she had watched it and she said she loved it," Hobson said. "It feels good to make a project that he can be remembered by."

Although he was originally hesitant about making the film, Hobson said he is glad that he went through with it, and grateful toward the people who made this project possible.

"I really appreciate everyone's support for the film and I thank Chris' friends who were in the film and spoke about him. I know that was difficult," Hobson said.

#21: The Chris Dhume Story, which was shown at the Matawan Aberdeen Public Library on Saturday, will be shown a second time tonight at 7 p.m. at the Hazlet Public Library. For a personal copy of the film, Hobson can be contacted via email at ahobson816@gmail.com.