Wesley Chapel community celebrates life of middle school teacher

WESLEY CHAPEL, Fla. — Dozens of people spent Wednesday evening at John Long Middle School in Wesley Chapel to celebrate the life of a teacher and coach, Damon Zassenbraker. 

According to his sister, Yvette Rhoads, Zassenbraker died unexpectedly in late September. 

“He was a lot to everybody, she said. “It’s been a hard loss.” 

From teaching history to hundreds of students over the years to his love of sports, his friends and family hope people remember him for his passions and his love of teaching. 

For his niece, Riley Rhoads, she remembers the times he’d dress up for a history lesson or how he would share stories from the teams he coached. 

“He loves the football team, and he coached girls’ soccer, track and girls’ basketball,” she said. “He coached everything, and he loved to tell everyone all about it.” 

His friend and co-worker, Jay Frenchko, said he misses Zassenbraker dearly. 

The pair coached together, and Frenchko said that while Zassenbraker loved helping the students grow in sports, he knew what needed to come first. 

“He always said we’re a student athlete,” he said. “Students come first, athlete comes second. So grades and everything, always first.”