On July 17, 2010, Mike Hessling, a paraeducator at Seaholm, died of a heart attack.
He was 55 years old.
Hessling was known as many things at Seaholm- he was a coach, a teacher, and a friend. He gave his last 20 years to this school, working with students in the ASD Program and coaching varsity wrestling and softball. If there ever was a person to look up to and aspire towards, he would be the perfect candidate.
I personally knew Hessling as Coach Hess, the incredibly talented and inspirational varsity softball head coach. Although I only had the opportunity to work with him for one year, that one softball season will remain vibrant in my mind for years to come.
Coach Hess was definitely not one of those coaches that patted you on the back after a tough loss and told you that you’d do better tomorrow. He never took defeat lightly. We could always tell a game was going poorly when he turned a little bit red, stopped talking, and just shook his head.
But he had this amazing ability to turn anything into a learning experience. If somebody would miss a catch, he would know exactly what went wrong. If a throw was off, he was there to fix it. Even when a play seemed perfect to everyone else watching, he could pick up minute subtleties and express how something could have been better.
One of the memories I recall most vividly about Coach Hess actually occurred on a day that he was out sick. It was a game day, but a short rain had temporarily delayed play.
The whole team was waiting indoors for the storm to pass. We had to conserve our energy, so we were bored and had nothing to do.
We decided that it would be a good idea to call Coach Hess and wish him a speedy recovery. A student dialed his number and the phone began to ring. It went to voice mail.
We passed the phone around in a circle, each leaving our name and a brief “Get well soon” message.
My only regret of this past softball season isn’t that I could have been a better team manager or put more effort into helping.
My one lament is that when that phone was passed to me, all I said was “It’s Natalie, feel better.” Looking back, I should have said so much more.
I should have thanked him for letting me assist on the sidelines because my ankle isn’t well enough to play anymore. I should have told him how much it means to me that I can still be a part of my favorite sport, even though I can’t physically be on the field. I should have told him that he was a great coach, and all of us wanted him back. That all of us want him back now.
When I arrived at the Wujek-Calcaterra & Sons Funeral Home for the memorial service, I expected there to be some family and friends, with maybe a few dedicated Seaholm athletes scattered around, showing their admiration. I figured the 45 minute drive would scare most people away. I was entirely wrong.
The room was overflowing with people carrying tissues, rosaries, and mirrors to check their tearstained faces in. I couldn’t even get past the doors to watch the service. I had to wait outside in the hallway as person after person wanting to pay their dues lined up behind me. I have never been to a wake where so many people cared so much about the deceased that they were satisfied simply being near the room.
While I couldn’t hear the speakers very well due to my unfavorable position, I did catch the room’s ever-changing emotion and passion. I could feel the memories swelling to the surface as a wave of laughter rolled across the room. I could feel the battle against tears as those same memories were realized as just that- memories. I could feel the pure love and admiration emitted from every person in attendance.
It is clear to me that Mike Hessling will be dearly missed. It is also clear to me that anybody who was lucky enough to cross paths with him- whether as an athlete, a student, a coworker, or a friend- should be tremendously grateful. And I’m not the only one who thinks so.
For many students, the news came as a shock.
“When I first found out, it was kind of just out of the blue,” junior wrestler Ryan Law said. “It was really just surprising. I couldn’t really believe it until I really went to the service. He was one of the people who taught me how to wrestle, so it was a big deal. I still can’t really absorb it. He was the first person I know to die. It’s still hard to believe.”
Mike Hessling was an inspiring man, and we won’t forget him soon.
“He was just a wonderful man, a terrific coach, and a great educator,” principal Terry Piper said. “He was sensitive; he really cared about his kids, both the ASD kids in his classroom and also his athletes on the wrestling mat and the softball field. We’re really going to miss him.”
