Happy Thanksgiving! CdM’s Dan O’Shea honors his late mom as athletes and coaches give thanks

CdM football coach Dan O’Shea said he is thankful for the great times with his mother. (Photo Fernando M. Donado, For OC Sports Zone)

Happy Thanksgiving from OC Sports Zone!

We asked some Orange County coaches and athletes what they are most thankful for this year.

To see the slide show, please click on the first photo

Dan O’Shea, Corona del Mar football coach: “What I’m most thankful for is just being blessed with a wife and two kids I adore. I had two kids later in life, I have a 2-year-old and a 4-year-old and I’m 50 years old and I feel very fortunate. Then a couple, few weeks ago having my mom pass away and having the opportunity to celebrate an incredible woman and knowing that she’s in a better place now for sure.

“It was a great opportunity for my family, my dad, brothers and sisters and aunts and uncles to really come together and it was a great opportunity to re-connect and re-cement some relationships….everybody gets busy in life, but it really allowed our family to connect and we’re looking forward to sharing Thanksgiving and remembering an incredible mother and wife, in my dad’s case, Mary O’Shea. This world is not near as good without her but she died peacefully at age 79 from Alzheimer’s (disease). My mom taught me how to live with a heart and how to look out for others before looking out for yourself.

“I’m not sure I do it very well all the time but there was no more selfless, loving, caring woman in the world. She’s the single best human I’ve ever met and I just had the pleasure of her being my mom, so it was pretty cool.”

Rick Feldman, Cypress football coach

“Aside from family, I’m most thankful I get to coach a group of kids who I love, at least one more week and we get to spend Thanksgiving together.”

Isaac Hurtado, Cypress running back

“I’m most thankful for all my family that gets to come here and all my friends. They all help support me and they mean the world to me. I thank God that I have such a great support system and he gave me all the abilities that I have.”

Claire Gocke, Tustin basketball

“I am most thankful for the sense of community that all of our coaches around Tustin High School have worked to create.  From supporting one another personally and professionally to showing full appreciation for our athletes’ efforts by attending games for different sports, our coaches are truly one of a kind.”

Matt DeAngelo, Tesoro boys basketball

“I am thankful for my family who supports me and helps me through everything, my teammates and friends who are always there for me and my coaches for helping me get to where I am today.”

Maddie Lyon, Woodbridge track and field

“I’m thankful for my parents for setting me up for nothing but success. They have helped me not only grow as a person but have helped me better myself in track and put me on the right path in life to succeed.”

Jordan Castaneda, Orange High boys basketball coach

“This year, I’m most thankful for my daughter Venice, who is due in 3 weeks.”

Rick Gibson, former Woodbridge football coach

“I am thankful for family, friends and all the coaches and players I have had the honor of being associated with.”

Rick Curtis, head football coach, Capo Valley Christian

“I’m thankful for our seven kids, five grandchildren and of our sixth grandchild on the way. We are also thankful for Mary’s (his wife who is battling cancer) recent test results which shows that she is responding to the clinical trial drug that she is currently on. We are also thankful to all of those who continue to pray for us during this journey. We are blessed to have so many supporting us.”

-Tim Burt, OC Sports Zone; timburt@ocsportszone.com