SPRING, Texas — A community is Spring is devastated over the unexpected loss of a popular coach.
Lazaro Martinez, or Coach Laz as he was known, was killed on Friday a motorcycle accident near Magnolia.
Those Coach Laz impacted the most came together to grieve and reflect on Sunday evening.
Erin Dolan, owner of Spring Creek Athletics, said Coach Laz had worked at the gym as a tumbling coach for three years.
Dolan said he was always smiling.
“He makes you laugh. He’s sarcastic,” Dolan said. “He jokes with you and literally everyone feels like their his favorite.”
So it’s a painful truth for so many who gathered inside the dark gym to remember and honor such a bright light.
“It was just very important to show our love to his family and he’s part of our family," Dolan said.
Besides a love for his family Coach Laz’s wife Erika Martinez said he had a love for the sport of gymnastics.
“He was very prideful and he always made sure that everybody was where they needed to be to progress in this type of sport that we do,” Martinez said.
Also, he was passionate about wrestling and fought in the ring as a luchador.
Martinez said his name was Brindis del Aire which means a "Toast to the Air" because he was in acrobatics so he liked to fly.
Those who gathered for a vigil said he’s now flying with angels in heaven.
Notes of love cover the tumbling mat where Coach Laz helped so many get better.
“I knew he was important, just you don’t realize how important someone is until they are gone," Martinez said.
They hope some of those lessons will be carried on forever.
A GoFundMe page has been set up to help the family.
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