Beloved youth lacrosse coach dies of heart attack, community honors his memory

Oct 3, 2024, 8:00 AM

WEST JORDAN — A West Jordan community is mourning the loss of a beloved youth lacrosse coach who suffered a heart attack during Saturday’s game and suddenly passed away.

Wednesday night the team and more than a hundred friends and family members gathered to remember 37-year-old Jesse Cervantes.

It was emotional as kids and parents, many bonded by youth lacrosse, celebrated the man. They said he was always happy, always smiling, and was the first to celebrate other’s accomplishments.

This youth lacrosse team is where Jesse Cervantes spent much of his time with his son, 8-year-old Alfie, who plays attack. His wife, Brittany Cervantes, said he had a contagious personality, and everybody loved him.

“He was so excited to be coaching lacrosse because he played at Alta in high school,” Brittany Cervantes said.

And while he was many things to lots of different people, one of her favorite things about him was how much he loved his family.

“He was the best dad,” Brittany Cervantes said. “He was passionate about fatherhood, we would call it, you know, we are in our ‘parent phase.’”

And they loved everything about it and doing it together. The boys on Jesse’s team loved him too.

Read the full story and more from Debbie Worthen at ksltv.com.

Related: As new baseball park emerges in Daybreak, residents want pedestrian bridge

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Beloved youth lacrosse coach dies of heart attack, community honors his memory