It wasn’t a good week for many in the Ocala area.
Chris Uhle, a 22-year-old from Belleview, Florida, died suddenly from an apparent heart attack. The news shocked those who knew the family.
Chris was well known for many reasons.
He stood nearly seven feet tall.
He had been a high school basketball star at Trinity Catholic.
He had just wrapped up a standout college career at Rollins College.
He had signed a professional contract to play basketball in Japan. He was supposed to leave in just a few days.
And honestly, he was about as close to a perfect kid as you could find.
I say kid because that’s how I remember him. I met Chris in eighth grade when I worked at a middle school in The Villages.
His mom, Alissa, was a beautiful young teacher there. She quickly became one of my favorite people.
She could hold a smart conversation on just about anything. But with me, she only really talked about two things: Chris and basketball.
It was clear from the start that their bond was something special.
He meant everything to her.
Chris, for his part, was the smartest guy in school. He was kind, polite, and just easy to like.
He was quiet but confident. Everyone on staff could see he had a bright future.
Even then, he was tall. About six foot four in eighth grade.
He was the best player on a very good team. His dad, Craig, was the coach.
Craig stood just under seven feet tall. He had been a college basketball star himself.
He coached Chris and that team to an incredible season. After that, Chris moved on to high school ball.
Craig was well-known around The Villages and Ocala. A gentle giant who always had something kind to say.
When I left The Villages, I lost touch with Chris. I still saw Alissa from time to time.
And every time we talked, it was still about Chris and basketball. I once thought about offering Chris private lessons.
But I figured that might offend Craig. He had been the better player between the two of us.
Two weeks ago, I saw Alissa at Publix in Belleview. Right away, we started talking about Chris again.
She told me he was getting ready to head overseas. She beamed with pride.
The joy in her voice was impossible to miss.
Then the unthinkable happened.
Her world, along with Craig’s and their daughter Alex’s, changed forever.
As I sit here typing, I find myself watching the clock. In two hours, I’ll be heading to the Uhle house to deliver a meal.
I’m trying to prepare myself. It’s not easy seeing people you care about in that much pain.
I don’t always understand why things happen the way they do.
But I know Chris made an impact. He left this world better than he found it.
And that matters.
Ocala lost a great one in Chris Uhle.