Flores' kindness help set the bar for AC support

Sometimes you remember a person more for the group they were associated with than
the person themselves. Nonetheless, you remember that person because that group
carried a common denominator of love, selflessness and putting the needs of others ahead
of their own.

I was recently reminded that Emily Flores represented such people. Flores passed away
on Wednesday, March 28, after a long battle with diabetes. Details of her memorial service
have not yet been revealed but news travelled at the speed of light on social media.

When I logged on to Facebook to learn that Flores of American Canyon, CA, had passed
away, it shook me to the core. I understand that as human beings we have no choice in
when we die but 48 is far too soon. Being 45 myself, that news raises my antenna. Granted,
one can make the argument that she is no longer suffering and went peacefully. However,
as a father of three kids that are young and impressionable, I couldn’t imagine not being in
my kids’ lives.

I spent 18 years as a sports reporter, most of it was for Napa Valley Publishing covering
the Upvalley beat from 2004-2014 but in between I covered the American Canyon beat for
about a year and a half before getting sent back Upvalley. However, after changing careers,
I have continued writing and have drawn many assignments covering Wolves’ football.
American Canyon High opened its doors in August 2010 with just grades 9 and 10, followed
by 9-11 one year later and then 9-12 beginning the 2012-2013 school year.

As a program, the Wolves have been a tremendous success on the field going 55-28 with
six consecutive Solano County Athletic Conference titles, sole possession or shared. The
success spans three coaches: Ian MacMillan (2010-2013), Ernie Lawson (2014) and Larry
Singer (2015-present).

People see the results on the scoreboard. If you are a Wolves’ football fan, you can easily
process Chris Seisay, Jomon Dotson or Andrew Rapacon to name a few scoring touchdowns
and helping the team win on the field. You can also process the coaching staff watching hours
of film and players spending countless hours in the weight-room.

What people do not process so easily are the work volunteers perform whether it is
concession stand help, chain gangs, clock and scoreboard operators, public address
announcers or team mothers that made certain the players and coaches alike were in good
hands in terms of staying fed. In essence, there are facilitators and supporters.

In the early years of Wolves football it was people like Flores, Crystal Boldway, Vicky
Lemieux, Kathy Robinson, Michelle Bade and Paula Williams to name a few were facilitators
for MacMillan and his coaching staff. Without people like Flores setting the bar high for
volunteerism and support, the foundation of the program would have been a much longer
process to establish.

Flores’ son, Malik, played football for the Wolves. Flores was one of many from American
Canyon that graduated from Vintage High (Napa) before ACHS opened its doors. Flores’
desire help the program establish a strong foundation in her own way was evident. She was
known as a kind and loving person whether as a mother, daughter or friend. Flores applied
those same principles as a facilitator and supporter of Wolves football.

The aforementioned group of mothers had different personalities. Williams and Bade were
the outwardly passionate types. Those two are a riot but I love them. Boldway, Lemieux and
Flores had more measured personalities. Boldway has since moved to Ohio but we keep in
contact. The entire group, however, had a common denominator. They would ask the
coaches how they could facilitate and whatever the coaches needed, they provided without
hesitation. In a nutshell, they were the kind you wanted in your corner when times got dicey.

While I had seen little of both Emily and Malik since the latter’s playing days ended after
graduation, they both had the “once a Wolf always a Wolf” mindset. I remember wanting to
do a one-on-one interview with Malik for this blog. Since Facebook gears itself toward my
generation, I relied on Emily to get in touch with Malik. She could not have helped me better.

I remember seeing them within the past year at a Napa restaurant. I was there with my wife
and kids. They were sitting at a table near us. I remember embracing both of them before
and after having a conversation. Little did I know, that would be the last time I saw Emily.

As I remember Emily along with her selflessness and kindness, I am ironically reminded
how we live in a society that oozes with anger -- or so the narrative would have us believe.
Emily was refreshing in that aspect in that she brought a sense of kindness that immediately
made you forget if your life had turned sideways.

After learning of someone’s passing, I have a common message. In fact, I’ve uttered it so
many times people are tired of hearing it, “Emily, I know we will meet again someday in
heaven but for my sake, I hope it’s not for a long time.”

I have no doubt the next time I am on the Wolves’ sideline as a freelance reporter, I know
their biggest fan will be skyward.

Emily will be missed but definitely not forgotten.