Dillard High community mourns football coach found dead in home

FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. (WSVN) - A heartbroken school community in Fort Lauderdale is mourning the loss of a beloved football coach who was found dead inside his home.

Officials said it remains unclear how Eddie Frasier died, but those who knew him said that if you were a part of Dillard High School’s family, you knew the longtime coach well.

7News cameras captured Richard Belizaire outside the school on Monday. He said he is grappling with the sudden loss of his longtime friend.

“We became like brothers. That’s literally — I would have done anything in the world for that man,” he said. “Like, literally, I feel like I lost a brother.”

According to school district officials, Frasier was found dead over the weekend. He was 34 years old.

Belizaire said Frasier brightened every room he entered.

“You know when he’s around you’re going to have a good time,” he said, “but you also know he was very serious about what he does.

Frasier, who himself graduated from Dillard High in 2003 and had been working there for over a decade, led the Panthers, Dillard’s varsity football team, through an undefeated regular season last year after having coached linebackers in the junior varsity team.

Dillard football players hit hard by the news gathered at the school Monday afternoon. Most were seen wearing face masks.

“I’ve decided to open up the school to give them an opportunity to be together as a team, to reflect on their relationship with Coach Eddie Frasier,” said Casandra Robinson, the school’s principal. “If you were able to be there, you would see that they’re seating three and four seats apart. We are still trying to maintain the social distancing.”

Robinson said students who knew the Panthers’ head football coach were able to reminisce about the time they shared.

“For them to talk about those great times and what Eddie means to them,” she said.

“Today we get to see community at its best. We can cry together, we can pray together, and we can celebrate the love we all had for Coach Frasier,” said Dr. Rosalind Osgood, a member of the Broward County School Board.

The Miami Dolphins took to Twitter to offer their condolences to the Dillard High School community.

Frasier’s uncle, Ronald Aiken, said he is still reeling from the tragedy.

“I never thought this day was going to happen, right after a holiday,” he said. “He was a nice, self-made person, you know? He gave a lot of people knowledge.”

In an Instagram post, University of Miami lineman Jonathan Ford said, “You’re the reason I got back on the field. Thank you forever.”

Those who knew Frasier said he loved the school and his players more than just about anything.

“You know, there were a lot of opportunities that he had, that he put on hold because he just did not want to leave his kids,” said Belizaire. “This is going to be a tough one. This is a tough loss.”

According the the Broward Medical Examiner’s Office, Frasier’s cause of death is still pending.

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