Tucker's Eulogy

Just looking around this room, you can see how truly special this young man was. In his 20 years of life, Tucker touched more lives and inspired more people than most could only wish to achieve over an entire lifetime. But, as a wise man once said, "A life isn't determined by how many years you have lived, but rather by how many lives you have touched." Well, if this is true, then my best friend passed as a wise old man.

Tucker was one of the most beloved individuals in our high school. Never one to speak ill of anyone, he carried thia aura about him that attracted people to him. Tucker had this uncommon gift of assessing any situation and figuring out how to make everyone feel as good as he did, even if it meant embarassing himself in the process. Whether it was getting in the middle of a dance to sing an out-of-tune rendition of "Born to Be Wild" or making an effort to include someone whom others would not have even paid a passing glance

The highlight of the season had to have been when I took the boys to one of Tuck's Varsity basketball games. As we entered the gymnasium, Tuck happened to have the ball at the top of the key. You could see the pride and awe with which the kids revered their coach. It was at this moment, Tuck, with a look of confidence and determination cultivated through countless hours of practice in his driveway, took a quick look at the basket and fired an arching shot that sailed through the hoop. Swish! The kids erupted into wild cheers, jumping up and down, high-fiving each other. Tuck flashed his patented smile and pointed a commanding finger in our direction. I think I had just as big of goosebumps from the sequence as the kids did.

One of my most fond memories of Tuck was the time we spent coaching a youth basketball team together. I had had huge plans for this team; I had drawn up plays, bought a clipboard and a whistle, and was ready to win it all. So when our first practice came along and I saw the lot we had drawn, I was crushed. Many overweight, others undersized, half bespectacled with glasses the size of Coke bottles, our team was the Bad News Bears in the flesh. Forming a lay-up line was a problem, let alone attempting to put the ball in the hoop. I remember looking over at Tuck and him just smiling back at me, laughing, and saying, "Don't worry about it, we got this." These few words alleviated any thoughts of apprehension I may have had and assured me that this season would be a season to remember. With Tuck leading the charge with a mu

Some topics in this essay:
Tuck's Varsity, Born Wild, Eulogy November, Bad Bears,