He is One of My Six.

I read somewhere this week that on average, there are six people that invest in your childhood throughout development. I didn't really think about that in the context of my upbringing until today. It hit me early this morning when I heard the news that Dr. Neil Friesland passed away. Neil wasn't a medical doctor, heck he wasn't a doctor when I knew him best. He was and always will be Coach Fries (Freeze) to me.

He is one of my six.

I challenge you to take a few minutes to think about your six. It may be more or it may be less. Those people who had a major influence and impact on your life as a kid and into early adulthood. If they're still with us, maybe reach out and let them know. I'm sure it would mean a lot.

Going to a college 1200 miles from home when you’re 18 is hard.

Homesickness is real. I needed someone.

Neil was my Resident Educator. That means he, his wife (BLESS HER) and their kids LIVED at the dorms at MidAmerica Nazarene University and oversaw all of the freshman that live in Snowbarger Hall. Can you imagine how hard that must've been?

Coach Freeze and I connected pretty soon after I got to MidAmerica Nazarene University in Olathe, KS. He was my 'dorm dad' and position (Tight End) coach in Football. I was new to the game and played quarterback in high school. After seeing that playbook and the skill and experience of the other QBs in camp, I knew I needed to find a new position. I knew him well enough in those first few weeks that it was an easy choice. Plus, I wasn't fast enought to play RB or WR, or big enough to play OL. He took me in like I knew he would.

He was there anytime we needed him. He was one of the funniest people I knew. We had a lot of laughs. We had an inside joke to whisper clean but inappropriate things in each others ears whenever our paths crossed after I graduated, even the last time I saw him a few years ago.

He helped me through some roomate drama, which ended in another fun, hilarious inside joke. My roomate at the time had a locked duffle bag full of all sorts of things he probably shouldn't have had. This roomate was homesick and lovesick. He was 18, give him a break. He was gone A LOT and he skipped classes to sleep all day and was gone or awake at night. He would leave for an extended period of time and Neil stopped by my room to see what was going on.

First he checked on me to see if I was good. Then he saw the bag. He asked if I knew what was in it. I said I did not. He gave me a smile as if he knew I may have attempted to see what mysterious things were inside.

He smirked and said "It's locked isn't it"?

I replied, "Yeah...REALLY well". We laughed so hard.

MNU is a Christian school and our coaches didn't cuss...at least outloud. Coach Freeze taught me my favorite substitute cuss word, "Daggummit". I wasn't the best player so it may have been aimed at me a few more times than once. I love that word and use it daily.

He came to my wedding, which meant a lot to me. I was a little suprised when I saw him, because I had moved away from the area and we weren't communicating as much. I also got married two years after graduation. He still showed up for me.

I'm sure he had an equal impact on many others but I felt like we had something special. He confimed that last summer when we spoke for the last time. I reached out after his friend, which was our other Resident Educator, passed away suddenly and unexpected.

Our last communication ended this way:

Neil: "You are one of my favorite people"

Me: "You are one of mine! I miss whispering sweet nothings in your ear!"

Neil: "Don't you make me cry".

Now you're the one making me cry coach. RIP LEGEND.