PARKLAND, Fla. (AP) — The football coach at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High says he is resigning.
Willis May Jr. says he’s made the difficult decision to step down after six seasons. May led the Eagles to a 33-26 record, and they went 5-5 under extremely challenging circumstances last season — the first after assistant football coach Aaron Feis and 16 others were killed in a massacre at the school on Feb. 14, 2018.
The football team paid tribute to Feis throughout the 2018 campaign, even turning his last name into an acronym standing for “Fearless, Emotion, Intensity and Sacrifice.”
According to ESPN, May and the coaches left Feis' desk exactly as it was before his dead.
"I walk into my office every day, and Aaron Feis' office is right next to me, Chris Hixon's office is right next to me, and I miss those guys with all my heart every day," May said, according to ESPN. "It's sad going to work every day because it hurts so bad to be without them. It's been a year and it hasn't gotten any better, so I need a change for me; I need it for my health."
May says he plans on moving elsewhere in Florida and being closer to family. He intends to continue coaching, though his plans are uncertain.
"One thing, if we've learned anything in the last year, you better love the ones you got because you don't know how long you're going to be here."
