DATE: Sunday, May 11, 1997                  TAG: 9705100576

SECTION: SPORTS                  PAGE: C11  EDITION: FINAL 

SERIES: Mother's Day Stories 

SOURCE: BY LEE TOLLIVER, STAFF WRITER  

DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH                    LENGTH:   42 lines

HER SPECIAL MOMENT WAS STOLEN IN A SHOOTING: PEGGY WHEATON - KELLAM HIGH

Peggy Wheaton didn't have to be there. Nobody would have thought less of her had she missed the Kellam boys soccer team's Senior Night festivities.

It was difficult for Wheaton, applauding as other parents accepted flowers and hugs from their sons. Difficult because Wheaton will not get her chance to participate in next year's ceremony, as she had once hoped.

That chance was stolen from Wheaton four months ago when her 17-year-old son Tim was slain by a gunman as he rode a bike through his neighborhood. Tim would have been a senior next year and the probable starting goal keeper for Kellam.

``It leaves a sick feeling in your stomach,'' Peggy Wheaton said after watching the senior ceremony. ``I expected him to be out there.''

She now splits her time between watching son Sean, a freshman backup keeper for Kempsville, and attending Kellam home games, where she supports those who have supported her.

Her presence has been an inspiration to the other parents.

``I can't describe how it feels to have her sitting next to me at games,'' said Debra Keesee, mother of Kellam junior Dustin Keesee. ``I don't know where it comes from, but it's just an incredible inner strength she has.

``I sit here watching my son play and think how lucky I am, and wonder what it must be like for her.''

Wheaton admits that coming to Kellam games is not easy. But she made a promise to the team at Tim's funeral.

``Everybody's been so supportive of us,'' she said. ``We're still going to come to the games, because it's a good group of kids and we want them to know we still support them.

``Tim's still here spiritually.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photo by MOTOYA NAKAMURA, The Virginian-Pilot

"I expect him to be out there," said Peggy Wheaton, mother of Tim

Weaton [Wheaton], the kellam athlete who was slain in a shooting in

January. "He was setting goals for this year and he wanted to be the

starter."

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