Every once in a while, I am fortunate to meet a person who is a perfect combination of salty, sarcastic, and sweet. I am usually drawn to people with a deep river of sarcasm running through their veins, so we don’t have to display our true fondness for each other. Such was the case with Fieldhouse Joe. 

Joe and I were the late nighters of the school. For six years, I coached diving from 7:15pm to 9pm. Joe was there, running the fieldhouse. Some might say that Joe actually ran the school because he had his fingers on the pulse of the building, making sure things were going well. Sometimes Joe was the only adult I would talk to on a given night. There were always other people on the premises, but Joe always made it a point to stop in at the pool while making his rounds through the locker rooms at the end of the day. One night, I forgot to lock the back entrance to the pool after my divers came in and the club swim team kids left. That night, a student wandered in the back door late. I shuttled the student on his way, but it made me feel a bit exposed. Our pool entrance is tucked away on the back of the building. If a non-swimming student managed to find it, who else could get in? I mentioned that it freaked me out a bit to Joe, and after that, Joe never missed checking on me and my small crew of divers at night, even though I made sure to lock the door. 

Joe was like that. He would come by with a joke or sly comment, but it was just an excuse to make sure the people he cared about were okay. This guy cared. A couple years ago, his daughter was killed in a tragic motorcycle accident. An SUV made a turn in front of his daughter and her boyfriend and the motorcycle couldn’t stop in time. It was an awful time for Joe. In the midst of his grief, he told me that he had sought out the driver of the SUV to let her know that he forgave her. That he knew she was suffering too, and he considered it just an awful accident. 

So, that was the Joe I knew. Salty on the outside, soft on the inside. He loved his family and loved our school. The last time I saw Joe was on Dec. 20. He stopped by my practice, which is after school these days, to wish me a Merry Christmas. We had a short chat, and he was on his way. He died suddenly on Dec. 22. As we prepare to return to school today, my heart is heavy. I already miss Joe, but being at the school all day will drive the point home. 

Have a good week everyone. Make sure to appreciate the people around you. Think of Joe’s family if you have a second, and send up a prayer if you are so inclined. This was a really hard Christmas for them.