TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — A memorial of flowers has been growing at the Robert "Bobby" Bowden statue outside of Florida State University's football stadium.
The Florida State and collegiate football legend died Sunday morning at the age of 91. He was diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer in July.
“I literally cried. It took me over an hour to realize what had happened," Rick Ruch, a friend of Bowden, said. "He was just such a good man.”
On Sunday, people from around Tallahassee came to say their final goodbyes to the former head coach.
“We were lucky to have this school that has coaches like Mike Martin and Bobby Bowden," one young mother, who used to work with Bowden during her time at Florida State, explained. "People come here and stay here for a long time because it’s the culture. We love our own, grow our own and we all stay here.”
Dozens of Florida State alumni, students and personal friends of Bowden all say the same thing: he was a legendary football coach, but an even better man.
“He really touched everybody," Florida State student Sean Lunt said. "When the students got to see him ... it was special when Bobby was around.“
“He carried himself in a manner that he loved people. He loved to be in the community," Ruch described Bowden. "When he was in the community, if he got off that bus coming in for a football game, he always took time to make sure he shook a hand.“
Fans mingled at the memorial and swapped their favorite memories of Bowden.
Armando Garcia said he and his family shared a moment with Bowden in Ann Arbor after the Seminole's historic 51-31 win over Michigan in 1991. Florida State scored more points than any team ever has against Michigan at "The Big House."
“My daughter was really excited to see him. She was happily waving out the window. And Bobby spotted us and waved back," Garcia said. "It was a wonderful moment. I’ll never forget it.“
Ruch said he was lucky to have called Bowden a friend.
“Once I asked him if he would speak at our church," Ruch explained. "Of course, humbly – he was one of the nicest people – he told me I would be honored to speak.“
He might be gone, but one thing is for sure: the entire Seminole community will forever remember Coach Bowden and the legacy he built from the ground up at Florida State.
“It’s just sad to hear, but I think this football season we’re going to like carry it on our shoulders and really do something this season," Lunt said.
Bobby Bowden led Florida State from 1976 to 2009. He led the Noles to the 1993 and 1999 national championships, as well as 12 Atlantic Coast Conference Championships. Under Bowden, the Noles finished in the top five of the Associated Press poll for 14 consecutive seasons. Bowden’s all-time coaching record stands at 377-129-4, second only to Penn State’s Joe Paterno among Division I institutions. He was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 2006. His final game in 2009 came in Jacksonville at the Gator Bowl, a win over Bowden’s former team, West Virginia, in Florida State’s 28th straight bowl appearance.