by MARK CAUL
Former Lehman student Audrey Gaytan participated in many athletic activities before her graduation in 2009, including the powderpuff football game last year. Gaytan died on Saturday in Harlingen. (Photo by Judy Cooper)
The terrible news spread quickly throughout the close-knit Lehman High School community.
As they returned to school on Tuesday, many students and teachers learned one of the most popular student-athletes in school history passed away over the weekend.
Audrey Gaytan was captain of the girls soccer team and a homecoming queen.
Gaytan, who also excelled on the powerlifting team, graduated in May from Lehman High. She died Saturday at Valley Baptist Medical Center in Harlingen.
It was difficult for her former Lobo coaches and classmates to contain their emotions when talking about Gaytan.
“Audrey was our soccer captain last year, but she was more than that,” current soccer captain Dominique Jaquez said. “She was a big sister to us. She was full of life and whenever we, as a team, needed a smile or uplifting, there she was putting a smile on our face. Words could never describe her fun and positive personality, and on behalf of the whole soccer team, we didn’t just lose a teammate but a family member.”
Lehman girls head coach Nauri Garcia was also blindsided by the loss of Gaytan. He called her the “heart and soul” of his program over her four year career as a Lady Lobo.
“It’s unbelievable. I’m still in shock,” said Garcia. “Audrey always played the game hard and she was one of the main reasons we were able to get into the playoffs last year. Her defensive presence gave the rest of our team the confidence they needed to be successful. She was an outstanding leader on the field and an excellent role model off the field.”
Gaytan will be remembered as a very popular, gifted, beautiful young lady who was always willing to put her Lehman pride on display.
When she wasn’t playing one of the two sports she participated in, she could usually be spotted leading the cheers as a supporter in the stands.
“She was one of our biggest fans,” Lehman boys head soccer coach Jay Sansom said. “When she wasn’t playing, she was right there in the stands rooting us on.”
Although she only stood 5-foot, 6-inches tall, Gaytan was among the four Lobos who made the trek to the state powerlifting meet last year.
Lehman senior David Garza was amazed at the strength she showed as a powerlifter.
“I wasn’t too surprised that she would be successful in power lifting, because I knew how hard she worked in the weight room,” said Garza. “To accomplish what she was able to accomplish for somebody her size was just unbelievable.”
But as great as she was athletically, Gaytan was also a young lady who had her priorities in order. She turned down an offer to play college soccer at Huston-Tillotson College in Austin to concentrate on a career in nursing.
“She really wanted to play soccer in college, but she decided to just get a good education so she would be able to help people,” said Garcia. “It just shows the kind of person Audrey was. There are a lot of sad people in the Kyle community now because she’s gone.”
