I knew Garrett from the 4th grade. His father brought him to me and asked if I would coach him. At the time, Garrett was too heavy to play even on my 6th grade Walt’s Raiders team (Garrett has always been big). His dad asked me if I would coach him even though he probably wouldn’t be able to play in our league. Garrett was the most motivated kid I ever had the pleasure of coaching. As he learned, he pushed himself to lose weight. I am normally hesitant to see extreme dieting at his age, but he kept pushing himself. The Athletic Director for Pierce County (Washington) Parks at the time was a fellow named Aaron Pointer. Some of you will remember him as a baseball player for Houston, an official for the PAC10 and the NFL, or as the brother of the Pointer Sisters. He was a great guy and bent the rules a bit so I could carry Garrett on my roster until he made weight. Garrett worked hard, smiling the whole time, made weight and became the best lineman I ever coached. The rest is history! He was supported by a great family and I can’t imagine the pain of their loss.