Pulaski Co. football community mourns sudden passing of one of their own

EUBANK, Ky. (WKYT) - Family and friends of a beloved youth football coach said their goodbyes Monday night in Eubank.

“My husband started coaching with Michael three seasons ago. They coached a winning Super Bowl Peewee team together,” said family friend Cara Spears.

The football field was where you could almost always find Michael Kean. His love for coaching falls just behind his love for his wife, Leah, their four kids, and his faith.

“My husband said there was not another coach who could motivate, encourage and inspire kids like Coach Michael could,” Spears said.

Cara Spears and Laura Wesley’s husbands coached with Kean for years. They join the dozens grieving the loss of ‘Coach Michael’ Monday night. At 34 years old, Kean suffered a medical emergency during a round of youth football games held at Pulaski County High School over the weekend. Kean died after being taken to the hospital.

“We’ll never fill the void Coach Michael has left. We’ll have to teach our boys how to go on and strive to do what Coach Michael would want,” said Spears.

Those who knew him say Coach Michael had the unique ability to bring out the best in every kid he worked with. And they said that skill carried over to every neighbor, friend and loved one of his, as well.

“Josh has said the one thing Michael has really taught him is how to be empathetic in a game that is essentially nothing but wrestling,” said Wesley.

To meet Coach Michael was to love him, and there are certainly a lot of people he leaves behind to do just that.

“Anytime our boys ran through their banners, Michael came out last and they always shared a fist bump. He said today he feels like that last fist bump they got was a, ‘See you on the other side, man,’” Spears said.

You can find a link to the family’s GoFundMe here.

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