Members of the Bullis School community in Potomac, Maryland, are mourning the death of a coach, mentor and friend.
Varsity football coach Ray Butler died Monday, the head of school said in a letter Tuesday, on the first day of school.
Butler became head coach last year after working on the security team and then as a member of the football coaching staff. His "sudden departure leaves a void," Christian G. Sullivan’s letter said.
“Ray made a profound impact on the lives of students. He was a constant source of support, offering words of encouragement and wisdom both on and off the field. His legacy at Bullis will be remembered not only for the victories he led but for the countless lives he touched with his kindness, patience, and steadfast dedication,” the letter said.
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Kevin Anderson, a Bullis parent who Butler recruited to be assistant coach, spoke on how he remembers Butler.
"He just loved the kids," Anderson said. "From the kid that potentially could go pro to the kid that's just trying to gain a credit. He loved all the kids the same."
Butler was the reinvigoration of Bullis Bulldogs Football, first as an assistant coach, becoming head coach in 2023.
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"When we give tours for potential recruits, we talk about being a student athlete," Anderson said. "That's the one thing that I respect about Ray. We always talk about student first, athlete second."
Butler came to Bullis as a member of the security team, and his protectiveness was legendary.
Bullis Parent Avi Benaim, whose sons played for Coach Butler, has started an effort to help the coach’s family pay his medical and funeral expenses.
Benaim says he will never forget Butler’s words to him as he grieved his wife’s death from cancer.
"I remember him one day kind of pulling me aside and saying, Don't worry about your boys. I got them, and that meant the world to me," he said.
Butler and the Bullis Football program attracted students who went on to play Division I football, and even in the NFL.
Damani Neal was recruited to play for Duke University. He’s now Defensive Backs Coach at Shaw University, bringing Butler’s teachings with him.
"Being in the position that I'm in now, kind of giving back and pouring into the lives of young men, I think a lot of the good things that I do, and a lot of you know, the things that I try to do for these young men," Neal said. "And the way that I pour into them is a immediate reflection of what he did for not just me, but everybody over over the years."
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Butler suffered a brain aneurysm last week and was hospitalized, News4 has learned.
School officials did not immediately respond to an inquiry, and funeral arrangements were not immediately announced.
Stay with News4 for more details on this developing story.
