The Tongan community in Utah are mourning the loss of 46-year-old Kolei Soseti Maile of St George who passed away on Christmas day last week. He leaves behind a wife, four children and a football team – the Pine View High School football team – for whom he worked for as an offensive line coach.

Kolei Maile had been hospitalized with kidney and liver failure since November.

Kolei served as a missionary for the LDS church in Mircronesia and Guam for two years. He recently worked for a state outreach program “Team R.A.W.” where he worked with troubled and underprivileged youth.

Pine View High School Football Coach Ray Hosner stated, “I really feel like he was one of those people that was so good, so angelic, that he was put here on this earth straight from heaven just to love people,”

“No matter the situation, no matter the score or the outcome, he was always so positive. He just loved everybody.”

Kolie Maile is the son of Soseti Semisi Maile and Fakalelu Kihemanatu Po'uha. His burial took place on 30 December.

An online fundraiser is being held to help support the family at youcaring.com