They say a good coach can change a game, but a great coach can change a life. Now Taisha Serrano is realizing just how many lives her husband Adrian touched.
The beloved Windsor Little League coach and father of three lost his life to COVID-19 in January. He was 42 years old.
“After he passed, I received so many text messages from players, like, ‘I’m gonna miss you coach, you were like a dad to me,’” Taisha said.
The couple celebrated their 16th wedding anniversary the day after Christmas, unaware it would be their last together.
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“We were already sick then, we just didn’t know it yet,” she said.
Within two weeks, the virus would spread through the entire family. Taisha’s brother-in-law Orlando Vargaz passed. One week later, Adrian died while intubated in the hospital.
“I wasn’t able to be with him,” Taisha said, “which is one of the most painful things that this illness has done to families. They did call me to say my goodbyes, you know, but he wasn't awake, so it was, it was difficult.”
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As Windsor Little League prepares to open its 2021 season, plans are in place to honor the coach known for going above and beyond to ensure every kid could play.
“Sometimes when kids didn't have the money or the resources, he would just give him a jersey,” Taisha said. “He wanted to make sure that kids were given an opportunity and if that meant that you had to go give someone a ride or pick someone up or drop someone off, then that's what he would commit to.”
To keep that legacy alive, the family has started the Coach A. Serrano Foundation in his memory. Partnering with local sporting apparel shop Scott’s Sports Supplies, more than 400 T-shirts were sold in a single week to raise money for the mission: supporting families in need who might not otherwise be able to afford team sports.
“He’s gonna live in our hearts forever. I want every kid to have that opportunity, you know, he always felt like every kid deserves to play,” Taisha said.
For more information, follow the Coach A. Serrano Foundation on Instagram: @Coacha.serranofoundation.
