OVIEDO, Fla. – A Seminole County football coach and teacher lost his battle against cancer. Family and friends of Coach Tyler Lampe, 33, said he fought until the very end and leaves behind a lasting impact on countless lives.
News 6 spoke to Lampe’s friend, Harrison Herbst, who said Lampe was a friend to all.
“Once you got to meet Tyler, he was a friend,” Herbst said.
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Lampe was a friend, a family man, and a football coach with deep roots in Seminole County. He played varsity football at Lake Howell High School. He also married Vicky, his high school sweetheart, three years ago and they started a family together.
“It was very important for him to create roots of his own in the place that he was born and raised,” Herbst said.
Herbst said Lampe was a pillar in the community. He was most recently the offensive coordinator for the Oviedo High School football team. He also taught in the IT program at the school.
Herbst said he was following his passions and dreams.
“He always wanted to be a teacher and a football coach.”
In January, the Lampe family received devastating news. He was diagnosed with T-cell lymphoma. Herbst said he spent the last nine months in and out of the hospital undergoing chemotherapy.
“He fought so hard to stay strong for his family, for his friends,” Herbst said.
He added Lampe wasn’t letting cancer set him back.
“His personality never gave up. He was still his joking self, he was still laughing. He still had his personality. He was still Tyler. He was still T-Lamp,” Herbst said.
Herbst said Lampe had more than 80,000 bone marrow donor matches. But last week, he lost his battle against cancer.
Herbst said he fought long enough to see the birth of his daughter.
“He told me that his three best days of this world was the birth of his two children and then obviously marrying his beautiful wife,” Herbst said. “It was all about family for him and that’s all he cared about until the end.”
The Oviedo High School Football team tweeted, “We are saddened by the news of Coach Lampe’s passing. He was a devoted Father, Husband and Coach. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family. #1Pride”
Herbst said Lampe touched countless lives as a coach and teacher.
“It’s good to see all the great messages that are going on social media and how much not only did he impact my life, but so many others,” he said.
Herbst said Lampe’s friends and family are now rallying behind his wife and two young children, ages two and one month old. They reopened a GoFundMe to help cover medical expenses.
“The fight didn’t win doesn’t mean we don’t have to pay for that fight. Any little thing helps, just to help with medical costs and help with raising the two little babies and helping Vicky,” he said.
Herbst adds he hopes Lampe’s story will inspire others to become bone marrow donors.
“You don’t know when or how impactful that could be,” he said.
A Celebration of Life ceremony for Lampe is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 16, at 12 p.m. at Action Church located at 1485 Grand Road Winter Park, FL 32792. The community is invited to pay their respects.