Brian Coleman seemed quiet and reserved to most people, but his family would tell you he was hilarious and extremely kind.
“We met on a blind date. No one really knows that,” said Precious, Brian’s wife.
To her it feels like yesterday that she met her husband on that date and talked late into the night–the night she knew she would marry him.
Sixteen years of marriage and countless memories later, Brian died at age 58 after complications from a heart attack and stroke in August 2021.
One of Brian’s last acts of kindness was donating his tissue and corneas to patients in need. His tissue could go on to enhance the lives of up to 75 people and his corneas could restore sight to two people.
Precious did not even know Brian had committed to becoming a donor until after his death. She had talked to Brian for years about checking the box at the DMV to become an organ, eye and tissue donor, but never knew if he did or not.
“It was almost the best gift to hear that not only was he listening as a husband but that he had done it,” Precious said. “Then again, it didn’t surprise me because of the type of person he was.”
Brian’s children–Brandon, Caden and Aria–and his grandchildren Branson and Saniya will always remember him as the coach at every game and the cheerleader for all their endeavors.
“Family meant everything to him. That’s one of the reasons why I fell in love with him,” said Precious.
The father of three coached his kids’ sports games throughout the years, whether football, basketball or soccer. He was a devout member of True Vision Church and Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity, where he led its nonprofit scholarship foundation.
Brian took many opportunities to mentor others, including through a program at his job as a program manager for USAA. He also worked as a certified public accountant for his own business.
“He was always the consummate coach,” Precious said, “even a life coach when he would discipline our children.”
Along with a legacy of kindness and generosity to the very end, Brian’s love of sports and coaching will live on through a scholarship in his name to Kinetic Kids, a San Antonio organization that provides sports and recreation programs to children with special needs.
“It is so comforting knowing that he is continually giving even after his physical life, and he gave so much during his physical life,” Precious said.
South Texas Blood & Tissue is an accredited tissue bank that works in conjunction with Donate Life Texas to connect donors registered on the national organ, eye and tissue registry with patients in need.
