An Ode to Alex
Nov. 5, 1956 - Nov. 2, 2025
When you are in alignment with God’s will, He sends you helpers, angels if you will, who are placed in your life to bring His vision to fruition.
That is exactly who Alex Gaddy was to HOLLA! (Helping Our Loved ones Learn and Achieve, a successful nonprofit in Anson County.)
It seemed as if, out of nowhere, Alex arrived in Anson County, connected with HOLLA! and got in where he fit in, eventually serving as activities director.
Alex was bold. He was never afraid to approach anyone, anywhere, to ask for anything that was needed. He spoke up at meetings with community leaders and decision-makers; he made cold calls to make BIG asks; he followed up and followed up again until you were persuaded to help
God knew that HOLLA! needed that fearless, unorthodox mouthpiece.
Then Alex found his true niche, which was helping to start and grow the HOLLA! tennis team. Through the tennis program, several young children of color were exposed to a sport that would have otherwise remained out of reach.
They attended camps and events that featured tennis greats including the famous Venus and Serena Williams and their father, Coach Richard Williams. These players evolved not just as players, but as disciplined scholars as well.
One of those students was Brenre. Because of her involvement in the HOLLA! tennis program, she went on to earn a tennis scholarship at Livingstone College, where she graduated not long ago.
This achievement was a crown and glory moment not only for the program, but for Alex. Many weekends and holidays, he made sure Brenre had transportation to and from the college. He ensured her needs were met. He even built relationships with the college tennis coaches there and partnered with them to host camps, giving even more young people exposure to the sport.
Alex was a force to be reckoned with when he was on a mission. It was hard to say “no” to him – even for me.
When Alex found out I was traveling to South Africa, he asked me to bring back some dirt from the Motherland. I said yes, but later discovered that dirt was considered contraband. Don’t ask, don’t’ tell, but Alex told me exactly how to do it – and I did.
The motherland was one place that Alex longed to see with his own eyes - on this side of heaven.
Now that his spirit is free, perhaps he is seeing even more of this beautiful world – from the other side of heaven.
May God bless the work He accomplished through Alex at HOLLA! and through all the lives that he touch. May his legacy live forever.
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This tribute was read on my behalf as a founding board member of HOLLA! at Alex's memorial service, held at the HOLLA! Center in Morven on Nov. 15, 2025.
Alex Gaddy, right, with HOLLA! Founder and CEO Leon Gatewood, collecting water from Livingstone College to be transported to Jackson, Miss., during its water crisis for Black Voters Matter.
