Beloved coach and educator remembered after fatal Peninsula crash
Beloved coach and educator remembered after fatal Peninsula crash
Students, faculty, and family are mourning the loss of a beloved high school football coach and special education instructor who was tragically killed last week while biking to work in Atherton.
ATHERTON, Calif. - Students, faculty, and family are mourning the loss of a beloved high school football coach and special education instructor who was tragically killed last week while biking to work in Atherton.
Beloved high school football coach
The backstory:
Dylan Taylor, 30, was struck and killed by a garbage truck Wednesday morning while riding in a designated bike lane along Middlefield Road. Police said the vehicle was turning onto Prior Lane when it hit Taylor. The crash remains under investigation.
"When my parents called me on Wednesday, it was the worst news," said Taylor’s aunt, Julie Gusman. "I was never expecting anything to happen. He was 30 years old, he had his whole life ahead of him."
Gusman said Dylan was known for his big heart and smile.
"He was like a big teddy bear, and he had pretty much always [had] a beard. Just his smile would light up a room," said Gusman.
Taylor coached the freshman football team at Menlo-Atherton High School and worked as a special education paraeducator and track and field coach in the Las Lomitas Elementary School District.
Positive influence
That same smile was often seen on the football field, where the coach and players talked about his lasting impact on the team.
"His loss impacted the whole team. He was such a positive influence," said Eddy Valdes, a freshman at Menlo-Atherton. "He helped kids who were having bad days."
Valdes credited Taylor with helping him through tough times as an athlete.
"When I got hurt, he always told me just to keep going and to never give up on my dreams," Valdes said. "He just said keep on pushing and when you get better, you’ll be a hundred times stronger."
Menlo-Atherton head football coach Chris Saunders said his death had left a void on the team.
"You know, he smiled when he walked on here every day and brought joy and energy and passion and enthusiasm on the field," said Saunders. "And he shared that with everyone that he encountered."
Across town, Taylor is also being remembered fondly by colleagues and students in the Las Lomitas Elementary School District.
In statement to KTVU, Superintendent Erik Burmeister said in part, "Dylan Taylor loved his job. He brought joy to all those with whom he worked and the children he supported. He was a coach, mentor, and friend to so many. His loss is felt deeply in our community, but the legacy he leaves will not soon be forgotten."
Counselors are currently available to support grieving students at the schools.
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