Troy Gore, head coach of the Cheltenham High School football program, was featured today by the Philadelphia Inquirer in an article titled “Cheltenham coach mourns son’s death as community lifts him up“.

According to the story, Coach Gore’s 28-year-old son, Troy Rivera, was involved in a serious car accident on September 18. He died from injuries 10 days later.

“I am still in a state of disbelief,” Gore, 54, a longtime minister and deputy Philadelphia fire chief, said. “I don’t even know how I’m functioning. Family has to remind me to eat. The only thing that keeps me moving is this …”, motioning to the Wyncote practice field.

Coach Gore, now in his fourth season leading the Panthers, is using the tragedy “to help more boys become men,” the Inquirer said.

“I think there’s a responsibility for men to show and display emotional intelligence that teaches a young man that it’s OK to mourn, it’s OK to cry, it’s OK to say, ‘I love you,’” Gore said. “We need to teach them that it’s all right to hurt because when a young man is hurt, he hurts other people. When you teach young men how to mourn, how to cry, how to walk away, it actually helps them in conflict resolution and helps them channel their anger and get it out.”

Coach Gore told the Inquirer that he and his family have seen support from coaches, police and fire departments in Cheltenham and Philadelphia, Cheltenham parents, the school district, and youth football organizations.

“If communities can come together like that,” he said, “we should keep it like that and not allow death to be the only reason we come together. That is the power of Philly and the surrounding communities. I am so proud that my son was able to bring so many communities together.”

A Tribute Wall for Rivera can be found here. Services were held on October 10, according to his obituary.

For all the latest news, follow us on Facebook or sign up for Glenside Local’s “Daily Buzz” newsletter here.

Photos: jasonlloydfuneralhome.com, Instagram