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A former NC State swimmer remembered late coach Jack Roney after his sudden death in a “tragic accident.”
“Jack was one of those rare people who made everyone around him better,” Braden Holloway shared via Instagram on Tuesday, July 7. “He was an incredible friend, a devoted husband to Maresa, and an amazing dad to their five young children. He lived with kindness, loyalty, trust, and a deep love for his family….and a deep love for Wolfpack Sports!”
Roney died on Sunday, July 5. He was 39. Details about his death remain scarce, but friend Jonathan Wall said Roney died in a “tragic accident” in a social media post.
“Jack was also a proud Wolfpack swimmer and someone who meant a lot to me personally,” Holloway added. “He was my volunteer coach the first year we won the men’s ACC title after I came back to NC State — a year I will never forget. From that season on, we stayed close friends. Jack cared deeply, showed up for people, and brought steady love and belief into every room he entered.”
Jack died just days after he and his wife, Maresa, celebrated their 15th wedding anniversary. The couple share five children: Gunnar, Scout, Beau, Archer and Crew.
Jack’s sister, Amber Roney Moore, said her late brother “treated everyone with kindness, and because of that everyone loved you.”
“You were strong in every sense of the word…mentally, physically, and spiritually,” she wrote via Facebook on Tuesday. “A record holding swimmer, an example of discipline and perseverance. We all loved watching you swim, watching you race. I looked up to you so much as a swimmer myself but I was never going to be as good as you! You watched every one of my races that you could. I remember one specifically you hugged me as I cried after I lost a race. You were always there for me, as kids and adults.”
Jack’s sister Katie Roney Corum called her late brother “an amazing man who loved his wife and kids more than anything in this world.”
A GoFundMe has been arranged in Jack’s honor, which has raised more than $166,000 at the time of publication.
“His legacy lives on in the countless lives he touched, and the love he shared with his family and community,” the fundraiser reads. “Now, Maresa faces the unimaginable challenge of raising her children alone. The loss of Jack has left a void in their lives, and the family is navigating a new reality without his guidance and support. As Maresa works to provide for her children, she needs help with daily expenses, childcare, and ensuring her kids have the opportunity to pursue their education and dreams.”
