VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - Tuesday marks 18 months since John Hefti was tragically killed in a crash. Saturday, the little league where Hefti coached honored his life as his family announced a scholarship in his name.
Hefti's 11-year-old son Shane threw out the first pitch for the Great Neck Baseball League as Hefti's brother-in-law Trey Faulkner addressed the crowd.
"One $8,000 scholarship from the John Hefti Foundation," Faulkner said.
Baseball was life for the little league coach and U.S. Navy veteran, who went by "Bag" — his call sign as an aviator.
The husband and father of three was larger than life, his family tells News 3. In the last year-and-a-half, they've worked hard to honor his name, raising $170,000 through the John Hefti Foundation.
Hefti's wife Tricia says the scholarship will be given yearly to a student-athlete at Kellam, First Colonial or Cox High School, the schools their children have attended or will attend in the future.
“John was an extraordinary student, a great athlete and a dedicated community service member and so we are looking for a high school senior that embodies all three of those traits. Just an overall great kid," Tricia told News 3 in her first interview since John's death.
But the giving doesn't stop there.
The foundation is also donating a scoreboard to the Great Neck Baseball League which will keep score at the field where Hefti first coached. It should be up and operational within the week, according to the family.
“It’s hard for me not to still see those images (of the crash) in my head, so I think the key for us as a family has been to focus on the positive and this foundation, this scholarship," Faulkner said.
Tricia Hefti says the generosity from others through her foundation has been overwhelming.
"It allows us to give back to the community in John’s name and he keeps sending us rainbows…and we’re just super excited for another great year of baseball," she said.
For information on the John Hefti Foundation, and how to apply for or support the John Hefti Memorial Scholarship, click HERE.
