A popular assistant football coach, a wrestling coach and athletic director, and several athletes were among the victims of the mass shooting Wednesday at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., according to reports.
Aaron Feis, an assistant football coach and security guard, was shot after throwing himself in front of students as the gunman opened fire Wednesday afternoon, numerous news outlets reported. The football team announced Feis’s death on Twitter early Thursday morning, writing that Feis “died a hero” and “will forever be in our hearts and memories.”
It is with Great sadness that our Football Family has learned about the death of Aaron Feis. He was our Assistant Football Coach and security guard. He selflessly shielded students from the shooter when he was shot. He died a hero and he will forever be in our hearts and memories pic.twitter.com/O181FvuHl3
— MS Douglas Football (@MSDEagles) February 15, 2018
[‘A horrific, horrific day’: At least 17 killed in Florida school shooting]
“Big ol’ teddy bear,” Douglas football coach Willis May said of Feis, according to the Orlando Sentinel. “Hardcore — he coached hard. Real good line. He did a great job with the [offensive] line. He took pride with working with those guys. Loyalty — I trusted him. He had my back. He worked hard. Just a good man. Loved his family. Loved his brother — just an excellent family man.”
Douglas Athletic Director and wrestling coach Chris Hixon was also shot in the attack, according to the Sun-Sentinel. The Miami Herald’s Manny Navarro reported Thursday that Hixon died from his injuries.
Spent 35 minutes this morning talking to Douglas football coach Willis May. I can’t describe the amount of pain this man is in after the death of his athletic director Chris Hixon and assistant coach Aaron Feis. So much pain and sadness. #PrayforDouglas
— Manny Navarro (@Manny_Navarro) February 15, 2018
Nick Dworet, a swimmer who last week signed a letter-of-intent to compete for the University of Indianapolis, was another victim, according to journalist Glenn Greenwald.
One of yesterday's victims, Nicholas Dworet, was a senior who just received a swimming scholarship to the University of Indianapolis. My niece was friends with him since kindergarten and posted her memories this morning. Such a heartbreaking loss and sickeningly avoidable traged pic.twitter.com/m3EEHjKjOe
— Glenn Greenwald (@ggreenwald) February 15, 2018
“I’m telling you from the bottom of my heart, he just took his life in his hands and he chiseled and molded his life,” Andre Bailey, coach of TS Aquatics in Broward County, Fla., told the Indianapolis Star. “This kid went from being listless and going through the motions to planning ahead and organizing his life.”
Alyssa Alhadeff, a soccer player, also was a victim in the attack, her club team announced Thursday.
It is with great sadness that one of our beloved Parkland Soccer Club players was one of the victims of the shooting…
Posted by Parkland Travel Soccer on Thursday, February 15, 2018
According to a game story last year from the Eagle Eye, Alhadeff played for the Douglas High girls’ junior varsity soccer team.
Feis, the assistant football coach, was lauded as a hero after the attack, with the football team’s statement saying he had “selflessly shielded students from the shooter.” May, the head coach, told the Orlando Sentinel that he had heard Feis had jumped between a female student and the shooter, pushing her through a door and out of danger. Feis was working as a security guard when the shooting began and responded to the original call on the school’s security radio walkie-talkies, the Sentinel reported, telling others that the loud sounds on campus were not firecrackers.
“That’s the last I heard of him,” May said.
[‘It’s disgusting’: Steve Kerr criticizes government’s response to mass shootings]
“He was a great guy,” Douglas sophomore lineman Gage Gaynor told the Sentinel. “Everyone loved him. Shame he had to go like this. Always gave his all to making us better. Definitely learned a lot from him.”
According to a short biography on the Douglas football team’s website, Feis graduated from the school in 1999, where he played center on the team. He returned to Douglas in 2002 and became head coach of the junior varsity team. He later coached the linemen for the JV and varsity teams and coordinated the players’ college recruitment. He had a wife and a daughter, according to the biography.
Current and former Douglas players expressed their grief on social media:
Can everyone please take a second to pray for my coach today he took serval bullets covering other students at Douglas . pic.twitter.com/8AMG7t6tpH
— Charlie Rothkopf (@RothkopfCharlie) February 14, 2018
Gone but not forgotten, love you coach pic.twitter.com/3bNBn0FpYF
— Willy P (@Will_Pringle26) February 15, 2018
I still cannot process this just a big nightmare
— Longley (@nicklongley12) February 15, 2018
As did NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell:
The entire football community is grieving the loss of Coach Aaron Feis and all those who tragically lost their lives yesterday. https://t.co/geIMyMQ3Ld
— Roger Goodell (@nflcommish) February 15, 2018
ESPN’s Mark Jones also reported that Douglas girls’ basketball player Maddy Wilford was undergoing surgery on Thursday morning after she was wounded in the attack.
Stoneman Douglas HS basketball player Maddy Wilford was shot several times yesterday. She’s undergoing her 3rd surgery. I watched her play against my daughters at Douglas recently. They had a playoff rematch scheduled for today. Pray for Maddy❤️ pic.twitter.com/8qeWguozVE
— MarkJonesESPN (@MarkJonesESPN) February 15, 2018
The Eagles had been scheduled to play a girls’ basketball region quarterfinal Thursday night, the Sun-Sentinel reported, but all athletic activities were canceled in the wake of the shooting.
Read more:
Florida shooting suspect Nikolas Cruz: Guns, depression and a life in trouble
Graphic: Mass shootings in the United States
Video: Suspect taken into custody after Florida school shooting
Read Again https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/early-lead/wp/2018/02/15/he-died-a-hero-assistant-football-coach-among-17-dead-in-florida-school-shooting/Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "Florida school shooting victims include football coach, athletic director, Douglas High athletes"
Post a Comment