A Tribute To Mr. Heinricher

Image Credit: Shannon Suess

The following was originally published on The Odyssey Online and is being republished on Foxborough Patch with permission from the author.

By Shannon Suess, FHS Class of 2012

On Thursday, March 17, the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts lost one of its most beloved family members. Joseph Heinricher, known to many as "Coach" passed away unexpectedly.

This took us all by surprise. Just last Sunday, Mr. Heinricher was at the annual football banquet, celebrating his team and congratulating the graduating seniors on an unforgettable four years. How could this happen? How is it possible that most of us just saw this man in the hallway the day before, and the next day he's gone? I simply cannot wrap my head around it.

Mr. Heinricher was one hell of a man. At first glance, he was very intimidating. He was tall, he walked with purpose, and he had one of the loudest and most powerful voices I've heard. If you didn't know him, you might have seen him walking towards you and thought to yourself, "Oh God. I definitely don't want to get in that man's way."

But that's the thing; Mr. Heinricher WANTED you to get in his way. He wanted to talk with you and learn all about you. He wanted to help you in any way that he could. He wanted to make a difference in as many lives as he could. And he definitely did.

One way that he was able to do that was by coaching. He was a vital part of the development and success of our football program. He helped hundreds of young men find their place on that football field and helped them realize that they are an important part of the team.

Mr. Heinricher did that in school, too. Oftentimes, teachers push the "troubled" kids aside and don't take the time to help or work with them. But Mr. Heinricher didn't. In fact, that was what he was most known for-- for helping the kids who needed it most.

On any given day, you would find him in the Best Buddies room, laughing with Steven or Stanley. He made those kids the happiest kids in the school. He wanted to know all students at Foxborough High, and that includes the students in the Best Buddies room. How many other teachers have stopped in and said "Hi" to these kids? Not many; Mr. Heinricher made up for them.

Looking on Facebook and other forms of social media, I've seen hundreds of posts from students who were impacted by Mr. Heinricher. Although he won't see this story or the others shared by my classmates, I know that he wouldn't need to read these to know how much he meant to us all.

Rest in peace, Mr. Heinricher. You are already greatly missed.