Book Honors Winningist Coach, Benefits Suicide Prevention Efforts At Brother Rice
DETROIT (WWJ) He was the winningest coach in Michigan High School Football history, and when Brother Rice's Al Fracasa retired this year -- after 500 career wins -- one of his former players and assistant coaches has written, in his honor, a book: A prayer book.
It's titled "Warrior."
It's a compilation of 40 meditations addressing loss, grief, intimacy, addiction, forgiveness and courage written by Paddy Lynch. "It's simple," Lynch told WWJ's Marie Osborne.
"One of the reasons I was inspired to write this book is that coach has a long history of letter writing, people close to him know that he writes these beautiful handwritten letters," Lynch said.
Fracasa, 80, taught his players prayers can come in many forms.
"It's simple reconciliation, but it just, if practiced on a daily basis, it can transform lives."
Lynch also uses the book, which costs $10, to mark the life of Cullen Haffey, a Brother Rice student and football player who committed suicide in 2012. Proceeds from the book will benefit the Cullen Haffey Memorial Fund, which sponsors a yearly scholarship at Brother Rice and also furthers the school's suicide prevention programs.
