Friends embraced life

Services are at 10 a.m. Saturday at Hilltop Community Church at 3616 N. Sunridge Drive in Jacks Valley for Alexander Cody Haas who died July 22 at Zephyr Cove beach with his friend, Timothy Coleman.

The cause of death of the young men, both 19, is under investigation by the Douglas County Sheriff's Office. Services for Coleman had not been announced at press time.

Mike Rippee was Tim Coleman's football coach during his years at Douglas High School.

"Tim was a good football player but he was a better person than a football player," said Rippee. "He worked hard as part of a great team.

"He was tall, thin and just a wonderful young man and was well-liked by everyone," said Rippee. "He cared about others more than himself."

Rippee said Coleman's teammates supported him when his mother died.

"He had to go through a lot when his mother passed in his junior year," he said. "He and his sister were very close dealing with the tragedy of their mother passing."

Rippee said he didn't know soccer player Haas as well as he knew Coleman but he said, "I know he embraced life."

Loosing two of Carson Valley's youth is hard to take.

"One is too many to see," said Rippee. "As bad as we all feel, I can't imagine how bad their families feel. My thoughts and prayers are with them."

Colton Mellows, fellow 2005 graduate, said he knew Haas since they were both 8 years old. They played on soccer and basketball teams together.

"We were pretty tight growing up," Colton said. "My best memories of Alex are of when we'd go to Tahoe or Reno camping together. We were always singing at the top of our lungs. Our favorite song was 'The Artist in the Ambulance' by Thrice.

"We'd always be driving his Nissan Pathfinder, the 'Patsy,' pumping our fists out the window."

Mellows said Haas was going to Truckee Meadows Community College in Reno.

"I know he wanted to be a financial advisor - what my dad does," he said. "Dad always went to soccer tournaments with us. Alex would go with us when his folks couldn't go.

"He was a just a great kid - the happiest kid on the planet."