John Greaves, the head coach and founder of the football team at Albert Einstein Academy, died of leukemia on Monday night. He was 49.

A message posted on the team’s Facebook page relayed the the thoughts from the school staff of Greaves’ death.

“It is with deep sadness that we inform you of the passing of Coach John Greaves. He fought valiantly against leukemia and built our football program at the same time.”

The Einstein Academy is asking for support in joining the school’s Relay for Life team or make a donation to the team in Greaves’ memory.

“It’s a sad day. This man fought his heart out,” Oscar DeLeon, the assistant football coach at Einstein Acadamey, told the Daily News. “There’s something I learned from him because this man never gave up.”

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