“How They Remember You” is a song recorded by Country Artists, Rascal Flats. If you listen to the Lyrics of this song, you may think they recorded the song about Paul. Some of the lyrics from the song resonate with me when I think about Paul. Contrary to what the song suggests, Paul did not have to spray his name on a water tower, carve it in an old Oak Tree, or even sign a bunch of high school yearbooks for us to remember him. The line in the chorus, “it ain’t if, it’s how they remember you,” is what resonates with me most. Although we may have never realized it before, Paul has left each of us with our own unique and special memories of him! Personally, as one of his high school coaches, I remember Paul as a polite, kind, and caring individual, who was a great teammate with an outstanding work ethic, and someone who always exemplified great character and moral values! Because of these characteristics, I think the highest compliment I could pay to Paul is that he made our team better before he ever ran his first step in practice! My final thought about Paul is this; just as the stone cutter deeply chisels a name into a piece of granite so that it will not erode, Paul has seared his presence in our minds, and etched his name so deeply in our hearts, that he will remain with us through eternity. Remember, it ain’t a question of if we will, it’s how we remember him! Paul has left an indelible legacy that would make anyone proud, and his legacy is filled with happy memories for all of us!
RIP
Coach Hengel