CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Juan Salazar. It's a name carried by men in the late Padre Little League former president and baseball coach's family.
Like a Bat-Signal, it's a prestige that carries the legacy of a mentor who changed the lives of hundreds of young athletes in South Texas through baseball, and a philosophy that helped them stay on the right path.
"'Building Attitudes That Succeed,' explains his son, Juan Salazar V.
A coach and educator like his father, he spoke with 3NEWS as he was preparing to lay his best friend to rest on Friday after watching him fight a long battle with Stage 4 cancer.
The family held a Celebration of Life ceremony for Coach Juan "Batman" Salazar on Thursday evening at Legacy Sports Field. Funeral services took place Friday morning.
"It was his mission in life to ensure that every kid was afforded the opportunity to succeed."
And Coach Batman, who would eventually became successful enough to afford so much of the comic book regalia he always wanted as a young man, did just that.
"He was the best coach, he was the best father, he was our Superman-- I take that back, he was our Batman. That's who our father was. He was our superhero."
'He saw me hit my first home run.'
As a 48-year career coach and former president of Padre Little League, Coach Juan Salazar made an impact on hundreds of athletes who carry the ideals he instilled in them throughout their lives.
For his grandson, Juan Salazar, he says that impact began a bit closer to home, and he looks forward to carrying it on.
"He saw me hit my first homerun. He was there from T-Ball, all the way to high school. I'm just grateful for the man he was."
Salazar vividly remembers the image of his grandfather throwing his hands in the air with excitement, rushing in for a hug after he rounded home plate.
"He kind of just instilled that, you know 'attitude, attitude,' cause that's kind of what life is about, having the right attitude to approach the day."
'He saw my first homerun.'
"I seriously can't remember a time where he went out there... not happy and energetic about the game, cause he loved it so much," Salazar said with a smile.
3NEWS met with student-athletes from different area high schools this week to talk about some of their first memories with Coach Salazar. They told us what they would want to say to the man who changed their lives when they were young.
"'We love you, Juan.'" said Flour Bluff High School baseball player Benjamin Terry. "He was my first coach. I was blessed to have him in my life."
Despite their sadness, they said they are happy that Coach Salazar is no longer in pain, and that they believe his strong faith means that they would see him again some day.
"He would always just let us know that Jesus has a plan for us, whatever we're going through, just follow him and he'll see you through," said Bradley Terry.
"We're still praying for his family, and when I hit my first homerun, it's going to be for you," said Benjamin.
'I really wish my father was alive to see it.'
Juan Salazar V says his family has received an outpouring of support and love from the community that their father would be blown away by.
"He was so humble that it never dawned on him that he was loved by so many people."
"There's a statistic out there that says that over 90% of those who participate in organized sports... they are going to stay out of trouble, stay off the streets and have a better chance at being successful."
"Now in his death, we see that was his purpose, and that was the major impact that he left behind."
Coach Salazar died on Sept. 18, surrounded by family, friends and former classmates and players who remembered him from their youth. They visited him in Houston while receiving treatment at MD Anderson.
The family wants those in the community to pay attention to their health go to the doctor if they feel off. At the time of his diagnosis, their father was already at Stage 4.
Coach Juan Salazar and his wife would have celebrated their wedding anniversary just six days after his death. Our thoughts and prayers are with those who loved him.
Together, the father and son owned and operated BATS Baseball, the indoor training facility--- some of the last words they exchanged before Coach Batman died included his wish for his son to continue the legacy of the business by keeping it open. Salazar told 3NEWS that it was one of the first in the city when they opened 15 years ago.
23:30-- "He didn't lose the battle to cancer, In my family's eyes, my mother's eyes. He won. He fought hard, He won.
"My father was my best friend, my father was my role model, my inspiration." " He was the best coach, he was the best father, he was our Superman-- I take that back, he was our Batman. That's who our father was. He was our superhero.
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