Mississippi Prep athletes honor coach who died in car crash

BILOXI, Miss. (WLOX) – Mississippi Prep athletes together with household, pals and the neighborhood got here collectively to recollect AJ Rapp, a particular piece to the household.

“He wasn’t my blood nephew, however he was my nephew. He was household,” mentioned Jermaine Alexander.

“He was gradual to aggression. He was simply the right child,” mentioned Lashunda Mitchell.

AJ was the linebacker coach for the Hurricanes, and to the individuals who knew him greatest, he was particular.

“Formidable, talkative and loving,” mentioned Mitchell. “He was essentially the most humblest man I’ve ever seen. He was essentially the most exhausting working man I’ve ever seen.”

AJ turned a linebacker coach for the Mississippi Hurricanes on the age of 20. Throughout his life, he went by a number of tribulations.

“His first school was Rockford in Chicago. He went there and didn’t keep lengthy,” mentioned Mitchell. “He caught COVID and didn’t wish to keep lengthy and got here proper again. Then he went right down to Florida to the prep college. First recreation broke his foot and got here proper again.”

However that didn’t cease AJ.

“His one plan didn’t work, he had one other plan,” mentioned Mitchell. “He’s like, ‘Mama I wanna do that. Mama, I’m gonna do that, Momma I’m gonna do that.’ He at all times had a plan.”

A kind of plans lead him to educate a junior basketball workforce, change into a linebacker coach and contact lives alongside the way in which.

“I understand that he was going in all places touching individuals. He was doing God’s work,” mentioned Mitchell.

“He was a tremendous man, particular to the children. We put this season for him,” mentioned Ishmel Morrow.

Whether or not he was AJ the barber, the coach or the son, the Mississippi Prep Hurricane neighborhood will at all times know him as AJ the helper.

“I simply hope his legacy lives on with all the children he labored with and we love AJ Rapp,” mentioned Mitchell.

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