Difficult time for MARS family
 

Many FIRSTers regionally and nationally have had the wonderful opportunity to work with Phil Tucker, co head mentor for MARS 2614 from Morgantown, West Virginia. Phil is known to many in the Pittsburgh, Smoky Mountains, North Carolina, South Carolina, Ohio, and West Virginia FIRST communities.

Phil suffered a stroke after his lumbar spine fusion procedure this past weekend. The stroke resulted in a walnut-sized bleed, after which he went into a coma. He has not been awake since then. While we are waiting for him to wake back up, the outpouring of love from the MARS and FIRST community has been truly humbling.

Phil is rarely found in our pits at competitions. Rather, he dedicates himself to ensuring that every single team can make it to the field and compete. He devotes countless hours to other teams at competition, but it never stops there. During FRC build season he can be found at MARS until the last person leaves the shop (sometimes 3 or 4am). And before that, he and Earl devote even more hours and weekends to growing the FLL program in the state, from running mentoring sessions, to running events, to judging, and everything else that could be asked of him. He would give you the shirt off his back. The success of many FRC and FLL teams regionally are owed to Phil Tucker, and his long-time companion and co-coach Earl. This resulted in his Woodie Flowers Finalist Award this past year in Smoky Mountains, and MARS credits our GP awards to him.

In addition to FIRST, he is known throughout our entire community and beyond through the numerous activities he has been involved in, and the friends he makes along the way.

Please keep MARS and Phil and his family in your thoughts and prayers in this difficult time. We want him to know how much he is loved by the FIRST community and the MARS family. I don't usually post stuff like this, but if you would like to leave him with anything for when he wakes up, feel free to do so. Phil is not only one of the greatest mentors I've ever had, but he's also my uncle, and a truly great friend. I've known him ever since I was born, but I would not be in FIRST today if it was not for him. And FIRST (especially in WV) would look a whole lot different without him, too. Here's to a full recovery!

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On behalf of team 191 the X-Cats and myself we are sending prayer and hopes for strength for Phil's family and his robotics family and a full recovery.

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On behalf of FRC Team 1501 T.H.R.U.S.T. we also hope Phil makes a full recovery.
*prayers sent*

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Best wishes to all of you. I hope Phil is back on his feet and feeling good soon.

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Team #3824 sends our best vibes to all y'all for strength and to Phil for strength plus a full and speedy recovery. Phil's energy at FIRST events is legendary and his humor always draws cheers and groans in equal measure.

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I hope and pray that Phil wakes up and recovers very soon!

Sincerely,
Andy Baker

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I've not met Phil, but I can certainly say I really hope I do one day. From 4926 in Columbus Indiana, we're thinking of MARS and Phil.

With hopeful wishes,
Sam Geckler

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Alex,

Please tell Phil and his family that his friends on 4991 (from the Greater Pittsburgh Regional this year, the team that he got through inspection on Practice day this year when the school district would not let them drive through the snow and ice) will keep him in their thoughts and prayers.

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Thank you everybody for your thoughts. We have been reading to Phil some of these comments as well as those that have been posted through social media and other avenues.

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I and 1038 will be keeping him in their thoughts and prayers.

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From one M.A.R.S. to another, team 4004 the M.A.R.S. Rovers send prayers and positive energy for a speedy recovery.

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Wow, I'm really overcome with emotion after reading this. I barely know Phil, having been with him at just a few competitions, but I feel like it's a brother that's hurting. He has that affect on you. My current team's rookie year first competition Phil and his crew got our software rebuilt and running (I'm not a software guy) and taught our students how to maintain it in the process. He's a big reason we're around for our 8th year now. And like you said, every time I go to find him at a competition I might as well not bother looking in your pit, I can just head straight to rookie row and I'll find him sitting on the floor with a young team around him soaking it in.
Phil, I'm praying hard for you to have a speedy and full recovery.

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Update: there has been another complication and decline in condition this weekend. Last night, he suffered another stroke, which has resulted in further damage. He is still in a coma, and we are just doing more waiting.
Thank you everyone for your kind words. I read some of your replies (and others from Facebook) to him the other day, and I'm sure he would be crying tears of joy if he were awake.

Thank you all for your continued thoughts and prayers.

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Very sad news. Thanks for letting us know. Hoping for a good news update soon.

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I send my best. MARS is always a great team, and I can't imagine what you are going through. You have the southeastern FIRST community praying for you, Phil. I might not have met you, but you probably helped my team in the pits, and for that we are very grateful. You're in my thoughts.

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It was a pleasure getting to talk to Phil during last year's competition season. He was extremely nice, and had a lot of fun stories to share. Here's a thanks to him for welcoming a Floridan up North during cold times. Hope all is well.

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Phil's family just posted on the Facebook page that he has passed away. My heart goes out to M.A.R.S. and Phil's family, he will be missed and we share your pain.

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When a team member is lost, it's a very tough thing.
When a team leader is lost, even moreso.
When a community leader is lost, it's absolutely devastating.

My condolences to Phil's family, team, and community.

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FRC Team 1501 T.H.R.U.S.T. sends it's condolences to Phil's family, friends and team.
Rest in Peace. You will be missed.

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My deepest condolences to the MARS family. RIP Phil.

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My heart goes out to Phil's family, his team, and all who knew him. May his legacy live on.

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My heart goes out to Phil's family and all his friends, both in his home community and the FIRST community. I have not met Phil personally, but my team has had many opportunities to work with MARS and it is always a pleasure. He will be missed by many. Rest in peace Phil and may your legacy live on.

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It is with a heavy heart that I report that Phil passed away late last night/early morning. He was surrounded by his family and friends and passed peacefully. He is survived by his daughter Haley (MARS founding class alumnus), wife Doris, and sister Carolyn.

His impact was truly remarkable in our community, not just for MARS and FIRST, but with everyone he met. His passing has left a tremendous hole that will never quite be filled, and we thank once again the FIRST community and MARS family for their support in these hard times.

I love you uncle Phil. We all love you.

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The world lost a great man. Phil worked passionately to promote FIRST robotics. He especially cared about helping those students and teams that had fewer resources and less privilege become long term successes. He would meet new people wherever we went, and he would get a couple of our team students and say "Come over here and talk to these folks about Legos." Phil planted a lot of seeds that grew into FLL teams that way. For FRC regional competitions, he had the list of rookie teams way ahead of time, and would contact them to see what they needed, and what we could bring to help them. Deploying our students and mentors to their pits at the competition, he would not rest until a struggling team had a working robot and got to experience the thrill of making it work and playing on the field.

For those that are close enough to Morgantown, the funeral arrangements are being done by Dering-Henson Funeral Home. The information posted so far:

Visitation will be Sunday, August 30, 2015 from 5-8 p.m. , Monday, August 31, 2015 from 5-9 p.m., and one hour prior to the 11:00 a.m. service on Tuesday, September 1, 2015.

Attached is one of many pictures of Phil doing what he did best.

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Phil was an inspiration to me and to our team. A couple of years ago at Smoky Mountains Regional, I asked Phil what his favorite moment of the season was so far. Without hesitation, he began to tell me about a hush puppy tossing/catching/eating contest that had developed rather spontaneously the night before at a local barbecue place during a team meal. Eventually the cooks brought out fresh game pieces so the contest could continue. He said that while MARS has banners, ribbons and trophies, and works hard to earn more, they also have fun. And he wouldn't trade a hush puppy contest for any number of banners. He will be missed.