Sighs...
Where do I even begin?
I met this older gentleman a few years ago when I came across St. Lucy’s Church in Long Beach.
When I met him, I just knew him as the only White guy in St. Lucy’s Church community. LOL He was a coach for the volleyball team and basketball team for the St. Lucy’s Catholic School female athletes.
If you were tall, he made you feel shorter and if you were short, he made you feel even shorter. I’m 6 feet, but he towers over me.
Coach Scott has never looked down on anyone unless he was taller than them. LOL
But in all seriousness... I haven’t written in this blog for so long. I can come up with many excuses, but I’ve come to a conclusion that I should start writing again to take some time and share some perspective and also to shine the light on others, just like I do in photography.
“Coach” Scott Landerville and I became closer when I started spending more time with our group, the St. Lucy Charismatic prayer group (SLC) a few years ago, when we shared a group of youth who we cherished and watched over as the “guardians” and youth leaders.
During my friendship with him, I was getting involved in some things that I shouldn’t have and he saw that. Although very stern and intimidating in his approach, he opposed what I was doing and I could tell deep down that he was concerned about me. If I ever felt closer to this man, it was because of this. I didn’t understand it at the time, but eventually I realized: this man doesn’t like seeing anybody in his life do less/worse than what he knows they’re better than/capable of doing. It was kind of ANNOYING at times, but he really pointed out anything he saw someone doing wrong and wouldn’t stop mentioning it until they improved and perfected it.
Hence, he truly was an AMAZING coach for not only his athletes, but friends, family, and acquaintances alike - in the game of life.
Some of my favorite memories with Coach? Let’s seee...
- BBQs at his house. He would provide EvERYTHING. As long as he could see our faces and have us over - this man would provide it all. Although I had to be the shirtless “grill master” during the summer. HAHAHA
- Closing down restaurants. We’d talk with my brother Li (RIP), and our other man group members like Eymard, Chris, Matt, and myself - until restaurants closed and had to close kitchens. LOL
- Parking lot “pimpin”. We’d continue said conversations in the parking lot, almost until 3 or 4 in the morning about anything really. Funny stuff, deep conversations about life, etc.
Coach was a very selfless man. This might be generic to say about a person who has passed, but HANDS DOWN - he laid down his life while alive for dozens of us to which he asked nothing in return but our appreciation. Not to feed his ego, but as a sign that it makes us fortunate/grateful to have such an angel in our lives.
Coach probably has the biggest “family” ever. When I say that - it’s because he took care of all who were close to him and if there was something that we needed our help with, he wouldn’t quit until we all made it together. If we had to cross a river (figuratively) and one of us couldn’t walk - this man would move mountains to make a way for us to make it all together or not at all.
Coach - from the bottom of my heart. THANK YOU. Not just for what you have done for me, for the love & care you had for me, just some young adult-schmuck, but for what you’ve done for all the people I also care about with you. With some of the complications I’ve had in my life, you definitely filled a gap as an older brother, uncle, and friend I never had. You’ve earned your way into heaven a little early, so I hope you join Li with all the other angels who watch us and you continue to be the most loyal fan you have been to all of us who have to carry on.
Thank you for teaching me the values of acknowledging the flaws we see in each other, accompanied by the loyalty of friendship that it takes to deal with those flaws until they are worked out. Thank you for not giving up on us. Thank you for always supporting my work. I hope you & Li are impressed and proud.
