Foundation Academy mourns loss of football coach

Foundation alum Denzel Irvin received a heart transplant in 2022 and returned to his alma mater to coach. He died Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024, due to heart complications.


Denzel Irvin, right, was a beloved Foundation Academy coach and alumnus.
Denzel Irvin, right, was a beloved Foundation Academy coach and alumnus.
Courtesy photo
  • West Orange Times & Observer
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Foundation Academy is mourning the loss of one of its beloved alumni and football coaches.

Denzel Irvin, who received a heart transplant in 2022, died Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024, due to heart complications, the school announced.

A GoFundMe has been set up to raise funds for Irvin’s two young daughters. 

“It is with profound sadness that we share the heartbreaking news of Coach Denzel Irvin’s passing,” school officials said. “Coach Irvin was more than a coach— he was a mentor, a role model and a beloved member of the Foundation Academy family. His loss leaves an indescribable void in the hearts of all who knew him, and his absence will be deeply felt by his family, friends, colleagues and the countless students whose lives he touched.

“Coach Irvin’s journey with Foundation Academy began as a student and athlete during his junior year,” officials said. “His passion for sports and his unwavering faith left an indelible mark on the community even then. After graduating, he returned to Foundation to serve as a coach and mentor, dedicating his life to helping others achieve their goals both on and off the field. Through his leadership and encouragement, he exemplified what it means to live a life of grace, faith and compassion.

“In addition to the countless lives he touched in our community, Coach Irvin leaves behind his two beautiful daughters: Maya, 8, and Kehlani, just 6 months old,” they wrote. “His love and devotion to his daughters were unwavering, and their futures were always at the forefront of his heart.”

Following graduation in 2014, Irvin played four seasons of college ball at the University of North Carolina — Charlotte. Following college, he coached at Butler High School in North Carolina.

In March 2022, Irvin fell ill with symptoms similar to COVID-19. However, within days, he went to the hospital, where doctors discovered his heart was failing.

About a month later, on April 26, Irvin received his new heart

In September 2022, he returned to Winter Garden and to Foundation as a defensive backs coach.

Back home, Irvin thrived.

“Coach Irvin’s impact reached far beyond the field,” school officials said. “His belief in the transformative power of faith, hard work and perseverance was evident in everything he did. He was a source of light to everyone who had the privilege of knowing him.”

In addition to coaching, Irvin launched his business, Get Active Performance Training, to help train and develop the next generation of football stars. He also used his experience as a transplant recipient to inspire his players and students.

“What I went through was nothing short of a modern-day miracle,” Irvin said in March 2024. “So when people hear my story, even if they weren’t believers, even if they were not close to God or had a relationship with God, they have to at least wonder if God is real, because man couldn’t have done that. … Through this whole thing, people are able to see God’s grace and power through me, and that’s been the most rewarding thing for me, to see Him glorified through my story and it helping people.”

 

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Michael Eng

As a child, Editor and Publisher Michael Eng collected front pages of the Kansas City Star during Operation Desert Storm, so it was a foregone conclusion that he would pursue a career in journalism. He holds a journalism degree from the University of Missouri — Columbia School of Journalism. When he’s not working, you can find him spending time with his wife and three children, or playing drums around town. He’s also a sucker for dad jokes.

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