Shawn Michael Patrick O’Brien,

When I heard about Coach’s passing, I was skeptical. There had been rumors floating around my former Middle School and High School that had turned out to be false. Unless he was tweeting from the grave, which if that was possible; he would be the one to do it. Coach O’Brien was the one teacher I will never forget.

He taught his students so many life lessons that we will carry with us for the entirety of our time on this planet. He was yanked away from us way too soon. His passing never really hit me until I read the obituary posted on our local newspaper’s website. There were so many things we didn’t know about Coach. He was exceptionally bright, he graduated Magnum Cum Laude from a college in Buffalo, N.Y. He was so smart. We always just knew him as goofy Coach O’ Brien. I’ve always liked Coach O’ Brien. He taught me so many things; How to throw a dodgeball (the foam ones) so hard that you’d get the person out every single time, sex ed (that was an interesting topic), how to be a better person, and the meaning of a great teacher. He was always making us laugh. I remember when we used to play dodgeball, he would always throw the balls at the girls to get them to not be afraid of him. He would throw the ball nice and soft the first couple times, then he would wind up in a softball pitch and chuck the ball as hard as he possibly could. He once sat on a table in gym class and it buckled underneath him. He was the jokester. He was the funny guy. Most everyone loved him. I know I’m supposed to remember the good times, the funny times, the times that bring back happy memories… but in writing this… I’m tearing up. He was such an inspiration. He got upset with me one school year (7th or 8th grade) that I didn’t try out for the softball team. He knew I would have made the team, he said I was lazy and didn’t want to fail. He told me I would never know if I didn’t try. I never did try out for softball. Parts of me wish I would have. Just for him… Coach was and always will be my favorite teacher. I can’t stress the fact enough that he taught us so many things. Things we will never be able to forget. I just can’t believe he’s gone… I’m just so glad he came into my life.

Rest In Peace Coach, have fun playing dodgeball in heaven. See you eventually. Miss you already.