Frankie Casey

Frankie Casey has the unfortunate distinction of being the fourth teacher in three months to die from melanoma (1,2,3).I don't know if it's just a sad coincidence that four popular teachers died at about the same time from melanoma, or if it is a testament to the respect we have for teachers that they are noticed more than others when they leave us too early. People are dying all the time from melanoma, but maybe teachers get more press when they die because they leave a larger hole in their community after they are gone.

Frankie Casey, coach and teacher at South Lenoir High School in North Carolina, died from melanoma last week. He was 51 and is survived by wife Lesli and 11-year-old son, Charlie.

I think maybe the last couple of quotes below better explain what I was trying to say above about the impact teachers have on their community and why we notice when they're gone.

Excerpts from the Free Press:

He taught and coached at Contentnea Elementary, Savannah Middle and South Lenoir High School in a career that lasted more than 25 years. Most of those years were spent at Savannah, but his final four years of coaching and teaching were at South Lenoir. Among the numerous sports he coached were baseball, football and girls' basketball.

In the past year, though, Casey battled melanoma, a vicious type of skin cancer. Not able to work in his beloved field, he spent all his time - when he wasn't receiving treatment - at a South Lenoir athletic event.

His presence meant a lot to the South Lenoir coaches and athletes.

"Mr. Casey was always there for us," said Paul Novicki, a three-sport standout athlete who graduated from South Lenoir last month.

"Even though we knew he was really sick, he rarely missed a game. We'll never know exactly everything he went through, but I hope he knew that we played every game for him last year."

Legendary South Lenoir coach Jimmy Smith said, "Frankie was an important part of the South Lenoir family and a special, special man. He made everyone a better person just being around him. I know I'm going to really miss him."