LUMMI NATION, WA (MyBellinghamNow.com) – The Lummi Nation is mourning the loss of a beloved figure in its youth sports community.
Filimone Ifoni Vaiangina, also known as “Coach Mone,” passed away last Friday, Feb. 21 at the age of 32. Mone was Tongan and was born Hawaii but grew up in Skagit County and lived in Whatcom County for the past few years.
He began volunteering as an umpire before coaching baseball, basketball and football for 4th and 5th graders at the Lummi Boys and Girls Club.
Mone’s friend and fellow coach David James says he was well-known for spreading kindness and positivity around the community.
“Lummi Nation, we’re a real tight-knit community and we all benefitted from Mone’s arrival,” James told My Bellingham Now. “He came in a year and a half ago and just made such a big impact on our Lummi youth.”
James added that Mone was much more than just a coach for his kids.
“His aim was to mold these boys into capable young men and all he was achieving was great success,” James said. “He wasn’t just teaching these boys how to play sports, he was trying to do bigger and better things.”
Mone leaves behind a wife and seven children, and a GoFundMe page has been organized on behalf of his family. The GoFundMe page features a message from Mone to his family, friends and community just days before his passing.
“I never knew how much I would enjoy coaching and teaching the kids not just the ins and out of sports, but also how to become better people daily,” Mone said in the message. “Thank you, God, for planting seeds of opportunity for me to give back to the youth, community and ultimately myself, because it has been nourishment for my heart and soul.
