Jenison, Tri-unity mourn loss of Visser
Saturday, February 17, 2007
By Steve Ungrey
The Grand Rapids Press


WALKER -- Adam Visser's presence at last year's Class D state championship game energized Tri-unity Christian as it won the school's third boys basketball title.

The Defenders fans chanted "It's for Adam" as the final buzzer sounded and the players gathered around Visser, an assistant coach who graduated from Tri-unity in 1989 and served as a coach at Jenison Junior High for 10 years.

Visser's presence has been missed in recent months as his health took a turn for the worse. Thursday night Visser lost his three-year battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Lou Gehrig's Disease) at age 35.


"It's been an emotional time for us," said Tri-unity Christian coach Mark Keeler, who was at school when Visser's death was announced to staff and students Friday morning. "Some of the kids were crying this morning. He's made an impact here."

Since Visser was diagnosed with ALS, he touched the lives of students at Tri-unity Christian and Jenison.

"It was a little tougher day around the school today," said Jenison junior high athletic director Kevin Van Duyn. "A lot of kids went over to say their goodbyes over the weekend. Our kids have learned a lot about life's struggles and how to overcome them. He was helping us a lot, and the community came together."

Family together to say goodbye

Visser was in a brief coma before emerging from it last week. He wanted the family together one last time and said his goodbyes shortly after midnight Thursday, and then slipped back into a coma.

He will not be forgotten.

A 3-on-3 roundball classic has been held the past few years to raise money for ALS research, and Van Duyn said that tournament would continue.

This year's event is scheduled for April.

Keeler said black wristbands will be worn for the remainder of the season to remember all that Visser meant to the Tri-unity athletic community.

Jared Mysliwiec and Matt Boersen, two returning players from last year, said it was tough to be at school Friday. They hoped to win their game that night in his memory. They did, beating Covenant Christian 58-41.

"It was nice to win one for him," Boersen said. "Here was someone who was going through a very hard time yet still maintained a strong faith, and he made our problems look trivial."

Added Mysliwiec: "Coming out of the locker room tonight, we dedicated this game to him. He was a big inspiration to us. He made us thank God that we were able to play still. He always put his two cents in on the basketball court when he coached us."