I know that some of you guys probably remember my posts about my baseball coach from when I was a teenager (13-18 years old).... Coach Harry.

I haven't seen Harry in about 20 years....so over the weekend I decided to try to find him. I decided that I really wanted to get together with him and tell him exacctly what he meant to me and my life.

So I tracked down his son, another ball player, on the Eastern Shore of Maryland and emailed him. I wasn't sure it was Harry's son but the name and age were correct so I gave it a shot.

A few minutes ago I received a reply to my email... and it was indeed Harry's son Brian.
He told me, much to my great sadness, that Harry passed away last February.  I missed seeing him again by a few months. I can't tell you how bad the sadness in my heart is about this.
Brian told me that a couple of the guys from that old ball team were at the funeral. That in itself is a testament to Harry and what he meant to a bunch of rough, poor, city boys.

I wrote Brian a long email explaining exactly why I wanted to see Harry. I told Brian how I've spoken of Harry and his life lessons so many times over the years. I told him that I wanted to see his Dad so that I could tell him the impact he had on my life..... how I owed much of what I am now to him. I wanted to tell Harry how I loved him and thank him.

Brian told me that his Mom is in very bad health. I asked that he read her  my email so that she could know what Harry meant to all of us boys.

I'm so sad because I wanted to track Harry down about this time a year ago and never did it...... So I missed my chance. As I told Brian..... I played ball for Harry for 6 years, but he's always been a part of my life.

Rest-in-Peace Coach Harry.......

Mike (one of Harry's boys)

Mike,

I'm very sorry to hear of the passing of your mentor.

As Coach Harry taught you, now you are doing the teaching.  

To pass on his wisdom and knowlege is the ultimate way to show love and respect to Coach Harry.  

I'm sure He's looking down at you from heaven, and Coach Harry is smiling, and very proud of you, and what you stand for as a man.

A few years down the line, I'm very certain there will be a young man giving the same lessons to a group of young kids.  No doubt his lessons will be inspired by his mentor...... Coach Mike Koz!

Keep on passing the wisdom, Brother!    

I think everyone has their own Coach Harry in their life.
One thing that such events tell us....make sure that you don't wait to tell the people in your life how much they mean to you.

Exactly SCHRO..... I can't believe I let this go by me last year. Now I have to grieve the fact that Harry never got to know how important he was to me.

Gee Mike, I am so sorry to hear that your coach has passed away.   Your story should be a lesson to us all.  We should not waste a moment in telling those people in our lives just how very important they are too us.   It is great that you could at least share your feelings with his wife.  I am sure they meant a great deal to her.