The 90 words that Zeke Garcia scribed on a single sheet of loose leaf notebook paper show exactly the kind of impact Elliot Richoux had on the kids he coached. The letter was presented to Richoux’s mother, Deborah Richoux-Hamm, at the 21-year-old’s memorial service at Crossroads Baptist Church in Conroe on Wednesday afternoon.

“Elliot was the best coach I ever had,” wrote Zeke, a member of the Banditos Baseball Club’s 12-and-under team. “You raised a great son. He is in a happy place now.”

Richoux, who played for Howard College and Texas Tech and spent his prep career at The Woodlands High School, died in a Fourth of July diving accident at Lake Conroe. And although he is gone, Elliot’s passion for baseball will continue to live on, thanks to the collaborative efforts of his family, friends and community supporters.

Just two days after his death, Elliot’s sister, Celby Richoux, 25, started a foundation, Elly’s Kids, in his honor. The foundation aims to assist youth baseball players in the community who lack the financial means to play the sport. Click HERE for complete story