Candlelight vigil on Friday for Tupelo coach who lost fight against coronavirus

65-year-old Rob Barnes died after a two-week fight against the coronavirus.

His candlelight was at Robin's Field in Tupelo on Thursday.

Martin ... family and friends are mourning the loss of a local coach - at a candlelight vigil in tupelo tonight... w-t-v-a's bronson woodruff joins us now live from robins field.... family and friends here tonight described coach rob barnes as a friend to all with a desire to help everyone.

According to a news release from holland funeral directors, the sixty-five year old died at his sister's home in tupelo earlier this week after fighting the coronavirus for two weeks.

Barnes was a longtime athletic trainer and coach for lee county schools.

He spent much of his time caring for special needs children... he was also a co-founder of the choir.

For the last six years, he worked as track coach and assistant football coach at tupelo christian preparatory school... the school's first football game was supposed to be tonight, but the school canceled it... his daughter and nephew are still shocked... they said he was a healthy person who drank a lot of water... his eleven-year old nephew plays football as a running back ."

"he was a helping person because he loved to help us.

He wanted to train me in football, and he trained me, and he got me way better.

He wanted to see me succeed.

That's all he wanted to do."

"if you ever wanted to talk to him, he was always there to listen, no matter who you were or what your problem was."

The funeral home's media release said a service of gratitude celebrating his life will be at noon on saturday.

The family is requesting a private funeral service.

A speaker at the vigil also said robins field will be renamed in honor of barnes.

Reporting live in tupelo, i'm bronson woodruf for w- t-v-a 9 news.

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