Coaches, peers saddened by wrestler's death

Although weeks have passed since Michigan wrestler Jefferey Reese died after a strenuous workout, he is far from forgotten in the minds of people who knew him - and even those who did not.

Some remember Reese as a dedicated wrestler who earned the respect of teammates and coaches, while others recall a kind friend who always put himself second. Some say he was a well-rounded student who prioritized not only his wrestling pursuits but also his academic endeavors, while another misses a caring boyfriend.

Reese

Whatever their relationship with Reese, his impact won't be forgotten.

"I just hope that he is remembered as he was. He was always happy," said Jennifer Rasmussen, Reese's girlfriend. "He was just so caring and so giving."

Rasmussen, who is a Kinesiology junior and student trainer, said the large attendance at both the memorial service held for Reese in Ann Arbor and the wake in Reese's New York hometown are testimony to how many lives he touched.

The private funeral service, held in Wellsburg, N.Y., was attended by those who were close to Reese, including family members, his wrestling teammates and close friends.

Assistant wrestling coach Joe McFarland, who was with Reese on the night of his death, said he will never forget that night, nor the qualities that made Reese a wonderful person.

"The whole thing is just so devastating," he said. "I miss Jeff dearly. He was such a great kid, and such a pleasure to be around and to work with.

"He loved what he was doing and took wrestling very seriously. It is a tragedy, but we all know we need to move forward and stick together for support. But even as we move forward, no one here will ever forget Jeff and the person that he was."

John Fisher, an assistant wrestling coach who trained with Reese during the summer and throughout the year, said he felt overwhelmed by the outpouring of people at Reese's wake.

"I got to his funeral and there were so many people there," Fisher said. "That's when I knew how wonderful Jeff was because it wasn't only me who thought it.

"I knew Jeff from the wrestling world, but his goodness was everywhere," Fisher said. "It carried over to anywhere he was and with everyone he met."

Fisher considered his relationship with Reese more than just a typical player-coach relationship. Fisher spoke of a time during the summer when he was training but had no work-out partner. So Fisher called Reese in New York and said he needed him. Reese drove to Ann Arbor and helped Fisher train for a week.

"I considered him a close friend because that's what friends do," Fisher said. "He knew it was important to me, and he was there for me."

Fisher isn't the only person who has stories about Reese's caring nature.

Reese's high school wrestling coach, Dave Buck, said the two often spoke on the phone about school or wrestling over the past two years, and Buck often updated Reese on his old team.

During Reese's first year at Michigan, Buck told him that one of his former high school teammates would compete in the state finals the upcoming weekend - the same tournament Reese had won the previous year.

The following day after practice in Ann Arbor, Reese drove through the night, home to New York, to cheer on his old teammate at the tournament.

"When he was here, he cared about the team more than anything, and never got hung up on how good he was," Buck said. "He really cared about everyone around him and continued to be a role model for my guys even after he graduated."

Reese's Michigan coach, Dale Bahr, said one of the most impressive things about Reese was that he continued to practice hard and paid his own way to compete in every match when he was red-shirted last season. He competed in open tournaments and compiled a 19-4 record, which earned him the team's award for "Most Improved Wrestler."

Bahr said that he had never had an athlete win that award who was red-shirted and paid his own way to travel and compete.

"Jeff would have done anything for this team and for his friends," Bahr said. "We will miss him as a friend and as a competitor. We expected a lot from him this season."

Bahr said Reese often helped with "dirty work" at practice, such as moving mats or helping to carry equipment. Bahr also said Reese gave him a hand during the summer, moving items out of Bahr's basement when it was being remodeled.

"Many guys would duck out or slip away when tactical things had to be done," Bahr said. "But Jeff was always happy to help. I didn't even have to ask him to do it."

Corey Grant, Reese's roommate for the past three years, said the two visited each other's houses during vacations and became close with each other's families.

"I got to know him so well," Grant said. "I want everyone to know how great Jeff was and what a great friend he was. He always wanted everyone around him to be happy and was truly a quality person.

"It's so weird to go home or to practice and know he won't ever be there. I always think about him," said Grant, who is also a member of the Michigan wrestling team. "I know I couldn't have asked for a better person to be friends with."

In addition to the lasting impression left on his friends, teammates and coaches, Reese also made his mark in the classroom.

Patricia Materka, associate director for communication in the division of Kinesiology, said Reese was a well-liked student.

"The faculty here are upset, if not devastated, by the death of this student," Materka said. "This has definitely been a blow to anyone who knows him."

Reese attended Southside High School in Elmira, N.Y., where he was remembered as a well-rounded student, who excelled both on the mat and in academics. Reese won a wrestling state championship his senior year at Southside.

"He was certainly a model student," said Ken Thomas, principal of Southside when Reese attended. "He was a focused young man and worked very hard."

Thomas said he spoke with former Athletic Director Joe Roberson about Reese's character when Reese was being considered for a Michigan wrestling scholarship.

"It was like a dream come true for him to go to the University of Michigan," Thomas said.

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