A public memorial for John Beam, a legendary football coach from Oakland, was held on Wednesday, leaving the community emotionally scarred. The event, "lighting the path and field," brought together Coach Beam's family, students, and friends as they walked the same route he took every day from Laney College Bistro to the Eagles Football Stadium.
Coach Beam was tragically shot and killed at Laney College last month, but his impact on the community lives on. As Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee said, "He believed in our young people, even before they believed in themselves." His dedication to his students is a testament to his character, as Tania Mitchell from Laney College noted, "He loved Laney, he loved his students. He loved Oakland. He loved his job. He loved making a difference."
The memorial was marked by the placement of 2,000 paper lanterns at Laney College, symbolizing Coach Beam's influence on countless lives. Many remembered him not just as a coach, but as a mentor and father figure to many students.
As the community mourns the loss of this beloved coach, they also look forward to celebrating his life on January 10, 2026. The man accused of his murder is due back in court next week, but for now, Coach Beam's legacy will continue to inspire and motivate those who knew him.
The outpouring of support and love for Coach Beam serves as a reminder that even the smallest acts of kindness can have a profound impact on people's lives. As he once did for so many, his memory will live on in the hearts of those he touched.
Coach Beam was tragically shot and killed at Laney College last month, but his impact on the community lives on. As Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee said, "He believed in our young people, even before they believed in themselves." His dedication to his students is a testament to his character, as Tania Mitchell from Laney College noted, "He loved Laney, he loved his students. He loved Oakland. He loved his job. He loved making a difference."
The memorial was marked by the placement of 2,000 paper lanterns at Laney College, symbolizing Coach Beam's influence on countless lives. Many remembered him not just as a coach, but as a mentor and father figure to many students.
As the community mourns the loss of this beloved coach, they also look forward to celebrating his life on January 10, 2026. The man accused of his murder is due back in court next week, but for now, Coach Beam's legacy will continue to inspire and motivate those who knew him.
The outpouring of support and love for Coach Beam serves as a reminder that even the smallest acts of kindness can have a profound impact on people's lives. As he once did for so many, his memory will live on in the hearts of those he touched.
... 2,000 paper lanterns is a beautiful tribute, it's amazing how something so small can represent such a big impact 
... I loved how his students and friends shared stories about him, it's clear he was more than just a coach, he was a leader and a mentor 
... January 10th can't come soon enough, I want to celebrate his life and legacy with the community 
... and yeah, it's crazy that someone could take his life away, but at least we're getting to see so much love and support for him in return 
2000 paper lanterns at Laney College? That's really touching 
. Coach Beam was definitely more than just a coach, he was like a dad figure to all those students who were lucky enough to have him in their lives 
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. It shows that even in the face of tragedy, we can still find a way to come together and celebrate someone's life. That's what Coach Beam would've wanted, I'm sure 
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. The outpouring of love and support is just amazing - 2,000 paper lanterns at Laney College are such a beautiful tribute to his memory 
. It's so true that Coach Beam was more than just a coach, he was like a mentor and father figure to so many students 
. His legacy will live on through the countless lives he touched, and I think it's awesome how his community is already looking forward to celebrating his life in January 2026 
. There were these huge potholes everywhere and I was like "who even cares?" 
But then I started thinking about how much it affects people's daily lives, you know? Like, have you ever been driving along and hit a pothole so bad that it just shakes your whole car up? It's crazy! 
Anyway, back to Coach Beam... what really gets me is that 2,000 paper lanterns aren't going to bring him back, but they're still a beautiful way to honor his memory 
. The memorial at Laney College was super moving, I mean 2k paper lanterns is a lot! 
It's amazing how many lives he touched as just a coach, but like they said, he was so much more than that - he was a mentor and dad figure to so many students 
. Let's all take a page out of Coach Beam's book and spread some kindness wherever we go! 
#CoachBeam #OaklandStrong #CommunitySupport
. The 2,000 paper lanterns at Laney College are such a beautiful tribute to his memory 
just saw those 2000 paper lanterns at Laney College and I'm getting chills! Like, what an amazing tribute to Coach Beam 
. It's crazy to think that his passing has brought so much attention to his life's work - the impact of education on youth is real 
. That's some serious dedication from a coach! The average attendance at Laney College has actually increased by 25% since Coach Beam's passing, which is a testament to his influence in the community 
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. His murder rate might be up, but his legacy will always be way higher 
I mean, what's with the forum layout again? It's like they're trying to make us scroll all over the place to find the info we need 
. Can't they just give us a clean and simple view of the news without all the extra nonsense? 
. I get it, Coach Beam was a beloved coach and all, but can't we just have a simple memorial without all the frills? It feels like they're trying too hard to make him out as some kind of hero or something 
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. Can't we have just stuck with a simple ceremony or something? And what's up with the route they walked on Wednesday? Did it really need to be commemorated like that? Just seems kinda excessive to me 
. But hey, if it makes the community feel better, I'm all for it 
his legacy though will live on and that's something we can all get behind 
2k paper lanterns is such a beautiful tribute, it really shows how much he was loved by the community 
jan 10 cant come soon enough! btw if u wanna see the memorial pics, check out this link: 
i also love that the mayor is saying all these nice things about him - it's clear that coach beam was someone special 
. anyway, cant wait for the celebration of his life next year 
. Anyway, I'm sure Coach Beam would've been all about the love and support, but now that he's gone, it's kinda hard not to wonder if this whole thing feels like a PR stunt