Dear Holtz’s Heroes Family,
When I was a student at Notre Dame, I remember feeling homesick and having my family’s dinners replaced with trips to the dining hall. Imagine my excitement when Coach Holtz invited me and my teammates to his home for dinner. My excitement quickly changed to nervousness when I realized Coach and Mrs. Holtz were serving us a barbecue dinner while we were seated at a table with a white rug below. I carefully ate every bite to ensure I didn’t make a mess. Even though I was nervous, I immediately witnessed and felt the unconditional love between Coach and Mrs. Holtz. Coach’s personality is larger than life but when he was with Mrs. Holtz, he reserved a particular smile that was just for her. It was clear that they were a team.
Just as much as Coach was charged with leading us to victories, Mrs. Holtz was Co-Head Coach for teaching us the values of love, family, and hospitality. Mrs. Holtz helped us feel loved like our own families when our families were in other states. She served us meals, cheered us on, and modeled the love we would look for in our own relationships. When we were with Coach and Mrs. Holtz, we knew we were “forever family.” This sense of family is why we started the Forever Family program. When our Holtz’s Heroes family members experienced a loss, we immediately have a former teammate reach out to the family to be a source of faith, love, trust, and commitment. We want to ensure that a spouse who recently lost her husband or a family that lost a child, that we are “forever family.” Our unbreakable brotherhood extends to be an unbreakable family.
I invite you to be like Mrs. Holtz and to extend the love and hospitality she shared with others. Don’t worry about the messy barbecue as the impact of “forever family” will outweigh any worries.
To my brothers, I am here for you and your families. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if we can be of assistance. We are Forever Family.
Love, Trust, Commitment
Reggie Brooks
Executive Director
rbrooks@holtzsheroes.org
Thank you Justin Meko for serving as president of the Board of Directors in 2023
President Emeritus
“Coach Holtz helped me more as a man than as a football player. The tenants of his program were pillars for life: trust, love and commitment. The principles he shared I utilize each day of my life: self-discipline, work ethic, resiliency (not flinching in face of adversity), preparation and selflessness (embracing your role and putting aside your personal needs for the needs of the team). Similarly, he demanded that we showed up on time (LLH time, or Louis Leo Holtz time), sat up straight, looked people in the eye, dressed professionally and did not cut corners. Those virtues and attributes have benefited me in a wide variety of environments and situations. In the military as well as in the office environment, ‘trust, love and commitment’ are three critical pillars that will help you succeed. It is safe to say not a day passes without me referring back to or leveraging one of the countless life lessons Coach Holtz imparted upon me and my teammates.”
Cornelius Southall as the new President of the Board of Directors
Cornelius “Corny” Southall was a star football player in Rush-Henrietta where he earned several athletic accolades, including USA Today High School All-American. He went on to the University of Notre Dame on an athletics scholarship. While at Notre Dame Cornelius earned a starting role at free safety for the 1988 NCAA Football National Champions. After graduating from college with a degree in Business Management, Cornelius joined the United States Secret Service and enjoyed a 27-year career on Presidential Protection Division detail for several sitting and past presidents, that included Richard Nixon to Donald Trump.
Irish Legends 2024
Holtz’s Heroes Foundation, in partnership with Bethlehem Catholic High School, will host Irish Legends 2024 on June 2-3, 2024 at Woodstone Country Club and Lodge in Danielsville, PA.
All proceeds from this event will support the Holtz’s Heroes Foundation and the Bethlehem Catholic General Scholarship Fund.
Holtz’s Heroes Foundation Mission
Holtz’s Heroes Foundation, Inc. is a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving and extending the legacy of Love, Trust, and Commitment exemplified by Coach Lou Holtz and his players, coaches, and staff.
Holtz’s Heroes Foundation, Inc.
- Supports former student-athletes facing financial, physical, or mental hardships
- Provides scholarship aid to deserving youth
- Serves communities in need through charitable works
Holtz’s Heroes Foundation is not affiliated with the University of Notre Dame’s development office.
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