PALESTINE, Texas — Grief rippled across East Texas tonight as the Palestine community held a vigil for dear teacher and coach Michael Coyne who died after a wreck on Sunday.
Madison Munoz graduated from the Palestine ISD and looked up to Coach Coyne.
“He left a legacy that no one else will be able to replace and I’m just glad that I got to meet him," Munoz said.
Coach Coyne and two other students were coming back from a Dallas Mavericks game on Sunday when another vehicle hit theirs while traveling in the wrong direction.
Coach Coyne died and the students in the car with were taken to a local hospital to treat their injuries.
“He was kind of like a father to me even though he got on my nerves at times and made me made sometimes. I still loved him,' said Storri Simmons, one of Coach Coyne's players.
Lequita Simpson said she built a bond with her daughter’s coach on the sidelines.
“He was goofy. He always had those words to say like ‘it’s ok ma, or he’d give me daps or hit me on the elbow. Or, I’d start being goofy with him which embarrasses her,” she remembered.
Tony Watson was his pastor at First Baptist Church of Palestine.
“When I think about Michael, I’m reminded of a scripture that talks about ‘run the race.’ Though Michael’s life ended a lot sooner than any of us would want, he finished well and he kept growing," Watson said.
In the crowd, shoulder to shoulder, hand in hand, they prayed. Then they released balloons for the beloved coach into the air.
Coyne’s visitation is tomorrow from 5-7 p.m. at First Baptist Church of Palestine. His funeral service is the same place on Saturday at 10 a.m. with a private family burial service to follow.