The family of Texas high school athlete Austin Metcalf continues to lean on their faith in God as they walk through unimaginable grief nearly a year after the 17-year-old was fatally stabbed during a track meet in Frisco, Texas.

On Wednesday, June 10th,  Karmelo Anthony, the teen convicted of murdering Austin during the April 2025 incident, was sentenced to 35 years in prison. According to local reports, Anthony will be eligible for parole after serving half of that sentence.

The emotional sentencing hearing gave Austin’s family an opportunity to speak directly to the teen responsible for taking the life of the beloved football standout and honor student.

Austin’s mother, Meghan Metcalf, remembered her son as a “peacemaker” and a “protector” as she reflected on the devastating loss her family continues to endure.

“You may have just been given a sentence of 35 years,” Meghan told Anthony in court, according to NBC 5, “you should feel lucky because I’ve been sentenced to a life without my son.”

Fighting through tears, Meghan described Austin as a young man full of love, character, and strength.

“There was a part of him you can never take from me, the strength I still get from him every day, because I know what it was like to be loved by him,” she said. “My son was murdered. He didn’t just die. He was taken from us. Just as he was starting to live.”

Austin’s twin brother, Hunter Metcalf, also addressed the court and spoke candidly about the ongoing pain of losing both his brother and best friend. Hunter, who witnessed the stabbing, said he has been trying to process the tragedy through his faith while learning what forgiveness looks like after such devastating loss.

“Now I want everything taken from you,” Hunter said during his statement, according to Fox 4. “You took everything from me. I wake up every morning and his door is still shut.”

In the days immediately following Austin’s death, Hunter had publicly spoken about wanting to eventually forgive Anthony, saying at the time, “I pray for his family. I pray that they understand what we’re going through.”

Austin’s father, Jeff Metcalf, once again pointed to faith as the foundation helping his family endure the heartbreak. Jeff previously told reporters shortly after the tragedy, “God is going to take care of me. God is going to take care of my family.”

During Tuesday’s hearing, Jeff remembered Austin as “a friend, a leader, and a true warrior,” reflecting on the close bond Austin shared with Hunter from the day they were born.

“Since the day he first grabbed my finger, he had my heart with it,” Jeff said.

Jeff also revealed that the family has endured repeated harassment since Austin’s death, including multiple swatting incidents targeting both parents.

Still, he emphasized the case was never about race, but about accountability and justice.

“I said from day one this was never about race,” Jeff told the court, according to Fox 4. “It’s about right and wrong. We are all humans. We all bleed the same color.”

He later directed emotional remarks toward Anthony, saying, “You failed your parents, yourself, and society. You don’t belong in this community.”

The fatal stabbing occurred during a track meet at Kuykendall Stadium after Austin reportedly confronted Anthony for standing beneath a tent designated for Austin’s school team. Prosecutors said Anthony pulled a knife after a brief confrontation and stabbed Austin in the chest. Anthony claimed he acted in self-defense, but jurors ultimately rejected that argument and found him guilty of murder.

Austin’s death deeply impacted the Frisco community, with hundreds gathering at vigils and prayer services in the days following the tragedy. The Metcalf family, who attends Hope Fellowship Church, has continued to openly lean on their Christian faith throughout the painful journey.

In what became his final social media post before his death, Austin shared a message that now carries even deeper meaning for those mourning him: “Faith that God got me ❤️ and my work will pay off.”

For the Metcalf family, that faith remains the anchor carrying them through the heartbreak.