Mayfair Alumni Andrew Pacheco, born on July 6th, 2003, was a part of the graduating class of 2021, and was just 19 when he passed away on Friday night, January 27 of this year. He was a great member of the Mayfair community and heavily involved in sports, as he was in Cross Country and Track and Field from freshman year to senior year.
Andrew Pacheco was an admirable young man who had a great high school career and, as someone who personally knew him, he brightened up any dark room with his care and love for others.
His dedication to running was a virtue that carried over into other aspects of his life, such as being a dedicated student and well rounded-person. He had a kind soul and a fun personality and was always a good person to be around. When he was close to my family, he would frequently be over for parties and to hang out with my sister and their friends. He always included everyone and made those around him laugh constantly with his great sense of humor. Due to being a part of Cross Country, he was a part of the running family and everyone adored him.
Below are a few words from Coach Boppell, head coach of Cross Country:
“Pacheco was a member of the best cross country team at Mayfair in all of its history. He helped the team go to CIF in 2019. He was a great member of the family, he made the team work, everyone loved him and he helped a lot. Pacheco was kind and warm, very hardworking and just an amazing family member of the team I created.”
Another important Mayfair staff, Mrs. Valenzuela had a connection with Andrew from having him in her sophomore class, the year Covid took away many things. She said that no matter what was going on, he never made excuses and was extremely promising. So, not only was he a great athlete, but he was also an outstanding student. Mrs. Valenzuela also ran world vision with Andrew and had said that he was very encouraging and loveable. One thing that stuck out to me is that she consistently said, “If he ever got married, he would make the best husband and father.”
It’s such a devastating thing to see such a bright, cheery soul be taken away from the many possibilities in life. I think it is important to remember that Andrew Pacheco was ambitious and someone you could’ve always counted on to be there for you.