Community and North High School mourn the loss of Ariel Roberts

Mike Wolanin | The Republic Columbus North cheerleader Ariel Roberts poses for a photo in her room at her parent’s home in Columbus, Ind., Thursday, Feb. 17, 2022. Roberts was diagnosed with inoperable embryonal brain tumor in January. She is set undergo months of radiation and chemo therapy to treat the tumor.

COLUMBUS, Ind. — The community and Columbus North High School are preparing to gather to honor Ariel Roberts, the greatly loved and positive Bull Dog cheerleader who lost her life to glioblastoma on Jan. 20.

Ariel, 18, a senior and varsity cheerleader at Columbus North, will be remembered at her funeral service Saturday at the North gym, with visitation from 2:30 to 5 p.m. prior to the service. Visitors are asked to enter the school through door 40, which is just south of the football field.

Her family and friends say Roberts will be remembered for her smile, her happiness, her faithfulness and her love that she showed to all.

“Throughout this whole year, she’s always kept her positivity and had a great attitude and had a great smile on her face,” said Coral Roberts, Ariel’s sister. “A year ago when she was diagnosed and through this entire year, she’s been so positive and hasn’t let the disease take over. She’s powered through it and was strong the whole way through. She never gave up. She fought the whole way until the very end. She’s inspired me, and she’s inspired everybody to not give up. She was happy the whole way through. She never once complained or cried. She’s amazing and everyone saw that and that’s why she’s so loved.”

For more on this story, see Thursday’s Republic.