By Jade Ryan

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The Daytona Beach Thunder’s return to the Ocean Center Saturday included a touching halftime ceremony honoring Javan Camon that included the retiring of both his trademark jersey number and the deactivation of the one he wore when he died Feb. 26.

With the Ocean Center crowd of 2,673 standing in respect, Camon’s mother, Nathalie Montgomery led a large contingent of family members onto the field, where she received a number 12 jersey from Thunder owner/CEO Zack McDonald and Owner Antone Smothers.

The popular Camon wore 12 from his Pop Warner days, through his career at USF, to his two years with the Thunder team. He was wearing “4” on Feb. 26.

A moment of silence was held prior to kickoff, and the PA announcer honored Camon as soon as the Thunder’s 42-26 victory over Augusta went final.

 The Lightning dancers performed a dance using a mesh of Caman's favorite songs during their halftime routine. Dasherboards bearing his pictures are prominent in both end zones as is his name and number near mid-field.

Jade Ryan, an eighth grader at New Smyrna Beach Middle School, is the daughter of WIFL Communications Director Dan Ryan