Over a thousand people gathered in Oakland to celebrate the life of John Beam, the late legendary coach who spent 20 years leading Laney College's athletics. The celebration took place at the Henry J. Kaiser Center for the Arts, where friends and family came together to honor his memory.
Beam's impact on the community was profound, with loved ones describing him as a larger-than-life personality who helped countless athletes turn their lives around. He was a football legend in the Bay Area, having coached the sport for over 40 years before becoming solely Laney College's athletic director last year.
Outside of the Bay Area, Beam's name is probably most recognizable from Netflix's popular show "Last Chance U," which featured him as one of its main coaches. His influence extends far beyond Oakland, with thousands coming to pay their respects to a man who touched so many lives.
Beam was 66 when he passed away on November 14, after being shot the day before on campus at Laney College. He is survived by his wife, two daughters, and granddaughters. As friends and family gathered to celebrate his life, they shared stories of his unwavering dedication to his players and his role as a pillar in the Oakland community.
The outpouring of support for Beam was a testament to the impact he had on those around him. His legacy will live on through the countless lives he touched, and his memory will continue to inspire future generations of athletes and coaches alike.
Beam's impact on the community was profound, with loved ones describing him as a larger-than-life personality who helped countless athletes turn their lives around. He was a football legend in the Bay Area, having coached the sport for over 40 years before becoming solely Laney College's athletic director last year.
Outside of the Bay Area, Beam's name is probably most recognizable from Netflix's popular show "Last Chance U," which featured him as one of its main coaches. His influence extends far beyond Oakland, with thousands coming to pay their respects to a man who touched so many lives.
Beam was 66 when he passed away on November 14, after being shot the day before on campus at Laney College. He is survived by his wife, two daughters, and granddaughters. As friends and family gathered to celebrate his life, they shared stories of his unwavering dedication to his players and his role as a pillar in the Oakland community.
The outpouring of support for Beam was a testament to the impact he had on those around him. His legacy will live on through the countless lives he touched, and his memory will continue to inspire future generations of athletes and coaches alike.
! I mean, who doesn't love a good sendoff? 1000 people showing up to celebrate his life is crazy, but hey, the guy must've been like a superhero or something - all that football coaching experience must've given him superpowers 
. On a serious note, it's great to see how much he meant to the community, and I'm glad his story is being told on Netflix too - now we know what all those 'Last Chance U' fans were watching 
. Anyway, here's to John Beam: may his memory be forever remembered as a coach who helped thousands of athletes turn their lives around... and possibly even got some free therapy sessions out of it 
20 yrs of changing lives thru sports & beyond - what an impact he made 
! Netflix showed us a glimpse but I'm sure there's so much more to his story. his legacy is all about inspiration, dedication, and helping ppl find their way 
just saw this news about John Beam and I'm completely blown away by the outpouring of love for him. 20 yrs as Laney College's athletic director is insane! 
he had so much impact on people's lives, it's amazing to see how many people came out to celebrate him in oakland 
thousands of people gathered to pay their respects to a guy who truly made a difference in the community 
his legacy is gonna live on for sure, and i'm glad we got to see all these stories about him being this super dedicated coach and pillar in the community 
I'm glad people are still celebrating him even after his passing, it's a beautiful tribute 
... but at the same time, I think it's amazing that so many people came together to celebrate his life in Oakland 
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. It's a reminder that we all make a difference in someone else's life, no matter how small it may seem. And I'm glad that Netflix helped bring some of his story to a wider audience - it's been great to see the impact he had on so many people around the world 
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. Anyway, the outpouring of support for Beam is so heartwarming - his legacy will live on through all those lives he touched 
just saw that huge gathering in Oakland and I'm not surprised - John Beam's story is so inspiring! I mean, 20 years leading Laney College's athletics? That's dedication 
. But what really gets me is how he touched lives outside of sports - the fact that thousands came out to celebrate him says so much about his impact on the community 
and now we got a whole community celebratin life of this legendary coach 
. It's amazing how one person can make such a huge impact on their community. I mean, 20 years at Laney College is a huge accomplishment 
. It's clear he touched so many lives, and that's something we can all learn from 
. Did we know this was a risk he was taking before he got into coaching at Laney College? Or was it just a random act of violence? And what about the Netflix show "Last Chance U"? How much of that was scripted and how much was real? It's definitely given him a lot of exposure, but let's make sure we're not sensationalizing his story 
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. Even tho its sad 2 hear about his passing, I'm so glad his memory will continue 2 inspire & uplift future generations 
- have you guys tried it? It was so good! The owner is a huge fan of Laney College's teams, which is pretty cool. I wonder if they'll ever do a documentary on Beam's life after Netflix... he seems like the kind of guy who'd be super relatable in a film 
. And can we talk about what's going on with the plant life in Oakland? I saw some gorgeous succulents at the Kaiser Center for the Arts yesterday and I'm totally getting some for my apartment 
. Anyway, Beam was definitely an amazing guy, but have you ever noticed how some people just radiate positivity? 