It hasn’t really hit us yet. Doesn’t seem real. One-of-kind people like him live forever, don’t they?

Late last week Wayne “Coach Steff” Steffenhagen passed away at the age of 79. While he had health issues in recent years, it was still shocking to hear that such a powerful personality had departed this world. Not only was Coach Steff a great family friend of Gerald Mortensen’s, but he was also the subject of a short documentary produced and directed by Mortensen, “Paint Me Green.”

We were lucky enough to be given access by the Steffenhagen’s to capture a season with Wayne and his D.C. Everest football team in 2007, and fortunate to finish the piece a few years ago so that Coach and his family could enjoy it together.

We will miss Coach dearly. He was a wonderful teacher, friend, and mentor, not to mention a husband and father. It’s tough when a role model passes away. But at least we’ll have “Paint Me Green” to view whenever we want a taste of Coach Steff.

R.I.P., Coach.