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Remembering Brad Agerup
Posted
at
11:57 pm
by Mike Cane, Herald Writer
I was stunned to learn on Monday morning that Brad Agerup, a longtime athletic trainer and teacher at Mariner High School in south Everett, was killed in a car crash on Sunday. The 54-year-old Agerup, his wife, Melissa, and two of their neighbors, Hilda Woods and Thomas Woods, died after they were hit by an alleged drunk driver on Highway 9.
I talked to longtime Mariner High football coach John Ondriezek about Agerup on Monday afternoon. Ondriezek had nothing but positive things to say about his close friend. Some of John's comments are in a story in today's Herald. Here are those comments, as well as additional things Ondriezek said about Agerup.
“Brad was a very compassionate person. He truly had a heart for kids. He would do anything for anyone.”
“He could relate well to kids, especially in the training room. It was a different environment than on the football field so kids would talk to him on a personal basis and kids trusted him.”
“He was an outstanding athletic trainer, just the best that I've ever worked with.”
“In my opinion, he was the most valuable person on our coaching staff because he just gave excellent medical care to our athletes and he worked very closely with our team doctors. … Our kids got the best medical care available to high school students. … His caring and his knowledge made my job as a high school football coach much easier.”
Ondriezek and school counselors met with about 25 Mariner football players during third period on Monday. “Each one of the kids said something positive about Brad and how much he meant to their lives. I just admire the kids for their courage. It was just an outstanding tribute to Brad.”
I also received a letter via e-mail on Monday afternoon from Josh Bollinger, who played basketball at Mariner High from 1999-2002 and knew Agerup well. Here is Bollinger's letter.
Remembering Brad Agerup
The tragic accident that took place on Highway 9 this holiday weekend hit very close to home. I was a basketball player at Mariner High School from 1999-2002, and during those years I became friends with the athletic trainer Brad Agerup. He taught me all that I know about sports medicine, knowledge that I put into practice these days as a Coach out at The Bear Creek School in Redmond. I am grateful for Mr. Agerup's contribution to the community as well as the laughs we shared about my ugly feet while he was taping my ankles before a game. There is one thing that I regret though, and that is when I had badly sprained my ankle 6 days before an important playoff game, Brad taught me about fire and ice therapy, he kept coming to get me from my classes to do the therapy the week before the big game. By game time, I was able to play on an ankle injury that is typically 2-3 weeks of sitting out. During the game I did great, leading the team to a victory and was interviewed by the Everett Herald and the Seattle Times about overcoming the injury. In both interviews I failed to mention Mr. Agerup's vital role in rehabbing the injury so quickly--Brad even mentioned that the following practice. In the chaos of the moment, I had forgot to mention him.
Brad wasn't the only life taken from this tragic accident, his wife and two other important people passed away in the front page accident on Highway 9. It serves as a bitter reminder of why drunk driving is critical to avoid and prevent. Often times the victim's families of drunk driving accidents view the person who took their family member's life as a monster, until they see them in court and realize that he/she is a normal looking, otherwise law-abiding person. The reality of drunk driving is tragic and sobering.
I know that I speak for all of Mariner High School when I say that our thoughts and prayers are with the families of this tragedy. We are all going to miss those involved and there will always be a void at MHS without Brad Agerup. He was a great teacher and an even better man. He went above and beyond at Mariner and even though I forgot back then to mention his name in this newspaper, I did not forget now.
Josh Bollinger
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COMMENTS
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Brad Agerup was my mentor from 1992-1994 at Mariner. I was his student trainer during these 3 years and I spent a lot of time with him everyday. One time, he even took the other student trainer and I to the Seahawks facility to show us around, introduce us to players and encourage us in our pursuit of sports medicine, and then took us to Red Robin afterwards. He was the best mentor. So patient, so skilled, so caring.
Brad always made time for students. I am so incredibly thankful for my times with him.
One Friday night game at Edmonds-Woodway, the night his now 16 year old daughter was born, he asked me to take over all duties of the taping, preparing, heating, etc. It was an honor for me to be entrusted with this duty by such a stellar trainer. I am crying as I type this to consider that this same beautiful daughter that was born that night must carry on the legacy Brad left without him cheering her on. I am deeply shaken and moved by this tragedy. I want the Agerups LIFE to overshadow the senselessness of the cause of death by a drunk driver. My prayers go out to the entire family and his neighbors.
Jeffrey Huber | Dec 1, 2009 11:04 am | 1 replies | Request removal
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My first encounter with Mr. Agerup was in the 8th grade. I was attending Olympic View Junior High and I sprained my ankle playing football in the middle of the season. So my coach sends me to see the Mukilteo School District Athlectic Trainer. It was a big deal at the time, no other school district in the state of Washington had a full time athlectic trainer. At the time he was still working part time with the Seahawks. So it was kinda intimidating to have to go see him. But he was so cool, he treated me like I was Dave Krieg or Steve Larget. Down to earth, and very genuine. He gave me advice like he did everyone else with simliar injuries. Take a couple aspirin, elevate, and "ice it" baby. Once I made it to Mariner, he often taped up my bad ankles before practice & games. So I got to know him fairly well in my time at Mariner H.S. He was a really good person, and he'll be incredibly missed! My thoughts and prayers will be with his family and friends as with his wife and the Wood Family. Romans 8:28
Kelly Fischer | Dec 01, 2009 7:06 pm | Request removal