For more than three decades, Charlie Russo was the steady, reassuring presence on the sidelines at Lemon Bay High School—not just working there, but being part of the fabric of the community he loved. As he once put it:
“I usually don’t say ‘I work at Lemon Bay’ … I say ‘I’m at Lemon Bay.’”
“I’m seeing second generations and even some third generations of athletes coming through here,” he said. One community member put it simply: “You’ve taken care of me and everybody in this community for so long, it’s our turn to take care of you.”
His dedication wasn’t merely professional—it was personal.
“If you do something you love, you never work a day in your life,” Russo said. “I don’t feel like I’ve worked here. A lot of these people are my closest friends. They’re like family to me.”
Softball coach Kim Pinkham captured that impact when she helped organize a surprise ceremony to honor Russo’s retirement—despite his insistence he didn’t want recognition.
“He hates surprises… he has specifically told me over and over that he does not want to be celebrated. But that’s not right. Not for all that he’s done,” she said.
Pinkham praised his instincts and influence:
“He’s so knowledgeable and he’s just such an awesome guy.”
Beyond treating injuries, Russo shaped futures. His wife, Nan, wrote:
“He has treated and rehabbed thousands of student injuries… and has mentored countless students and led many into careers in the medical profession.”
His legacy at Lemon Bay isn’t defined only by what he did—but by how deeply he cared. Check out the full story here!