TMZSports.com
Tiger beech His life was tragically taken in the early hours of New Year's Day, and now the standout football player's high school coach is speaking out about the life and death of his late star.
“When we lose someone, it always hurts. To lose someone like Tiger and then to lose him so tragically on vacation when he had come to town to be with family and friends is just tragic.” Marty Cannonsaid the former assistant football coach turned principal at St. Thomas More Catholic High School in Louisiana Babcock on the TV show TMZ Sports (airs nightly on FS1).
“Our thoughts and prayers definitely go out to the Bech family. They are also a close-knit group of people, a close, close family that we love very much, and they love St. Thomas More. That's why a lot of people are hurt today.”
Of course, 28-year-old Bech — who played football at Princeton University after graduating from STM — rang in the New Year as a terrorist on Bourbon Street in nearby New Orleans Shamsud Din Jabbar leveled him and dozens of other innocent revelers, killing at least 14 people and injuring many more.
While Tiger will be remembered by many as a football playersays former Coach Cannon that Bech had much more to offer.
“This guy was incredible. Tiger wasn't just a football player. He had a lot of depth. You rarely even talked about football with Tiger.”
Cannon continued… “He’s talking about your family. He talks about his career goals, things he's learning about. He was a deep, kind person who we really loved.”
If there's a silver lining, Marty says he recently had the opportunity to meet Bech in town, just two days before Christmas.
“I am very grateful that I got to see Tiger one last time. I’m definitely grateful.”