OBITUARY
DIVISION F
THIRD PLACE
Leigh Ann Maynard and Melissa Foust-McCoy The Manning Times $1.00
Thu, Feb. 20, 2025 | The Manning Times Company Inc. | Volume 143, No. 8
The Manning Times LIFE STORY
Live like you are dying I BY LEIGH ANN MAYNARD & MELISSA FOUST-MCCOY f given the chance to live like you were dying, what would you do with your time? If you were told you had three to six weeks left on Earth, who would you spend your days with? For beloved basketball coach and lifelong mentor Andy McLeod, these questions are no longer hypothetical. McLeod, a Manning native, has spent his life dedicated to coaching and mentoring young athletes. His journey began early, fueled by a love for basketball and a work ethic that set him apart. From childhood games on the court to leading teams from the sidelines, he has never strayed far from the sport that shaped him. His career took him across South Carolina, where he built programs, mentored athletes, and formed lifelong friendships. His impact extends beyond wins and championships. His legacy is the players he guided, the friendships he built, and the lessons he instilled. Now, McLeod faces the toughest opponent of his life. Diagnosed with renal cell carcinoma, he has made the decision to forgo aggressive chemotherapy and instead focus on living fully, surrounded by the people he loves. He refuses to be defined by illness or to let his final days be consumed by grief. Instead, he continues to do what he has always done: lead by example, show up for others, and embrace every moment with strength and humor. This is the story of a coach, a mentor, a husband, a friend. A man who, even in the face of a terminal diagnosis, refuses to sit on the sidelines. A man who is choosing to live like he is dying.
A life on the court Close friend and mentor Bill Brewer has known McLeod since childhood and saw his potential early.
“I could tell as a little boy Andy was going to be tall, but in the 12th grade, he was a grown man. He’s about six feet, five inches and was as good as any player I had seen,” Brewer said. “When he was a little boy, he was so little. But he wanted to be a basketball player, and let me tell you, he worked like the devil to be a player.” McLeod played football and basketball at Laurence Manning Academy (LMA), excelling on state championship teams in both sports. He continued his basketball career at Newberry College, where he played for three years before shifting his focus to academics. After graduating in 1993 with a degree in history, McLeod returned to LMA to begin his coaching career at just 21 years old. “I stayed two years but kind of felt that I would always be seen as the former student. I felt the need to establish myself as a coach,” McLeod said. He moved on to Williamsburg Academy, where he coached for six years, ultimately serving as athletic director and varsity football coach before settling into his passion: basketball. “My years at Williamsburg are so memorable. It helped me establish my coaching and teaching careers,” McLeod said. “I became ‘Coach Andy’ and not a former champ or student. I met so many good friends through coaching, and we are still friends to this day, 30 years later. It’s been an amazing journey.” McLeod continued his coaching career at Hudgens Academy until it closed, prompting his return to LMA. He later spent eight years at Holly Hill Academy, all the while making an impact on the lives of young athletes. A life well-loved More than anything, McLeod’s life has been defined by deep friendships, strong family ties, and unwavering loyalty. He has spent the past few days back in Manning, surrounded by the people who have shaped his life. “If anything happens, if things go south, I want to be in Manning. This is where my
family is,” he said. McLeod has found comfort in reconnecting with old friends and reliving memories. “It’s been wonderful sitting around telling old stories,” he said. “[My friends and I] haven’t talked about the diagnosis, we haven’t talked about the disease. We’ve just talked and caught back up. A lot of them, I haven’t seen in so long. I know they care. They are worried, they are praying about it, but it’s not something we discuss when they visit. We just talk.” To his closest friends, he is more than a coach or a mentor. He is family. “He is my brother, he is my best friend,” said fellow coach and lifelong friend Will Epps. “When I was in seventh and eighth grade, I would be watching Andy play basketball. I looked up to him, he was who I wanted to be. I even wanted to wear his number when I played. After college, we just became best friends. He is the most loyal friend I have ever had. In life, if you are lucky enough to have one true friend, you are truly lucky. He is my one true friend.” Epps recalled a moment from their youth that solidified their bond. “He’s a competitor and the most brilliant coach, as smart as any coach I’ve met. He is someone I have always held in high regard in life,” Epps said. “I remember one Thanksgiving when I was 21 years old. I wrecked a soybean truck, spilling soybeans everywhere. Andy was the friend that left his Thanksgiving dinner to come help me literally pick soybeans up out of the road.” Childhood friend Ron Lee remembers the McLeod home as a second home for him. “I’m pretty sure Mr. Pete and Ms. Susie took extra jobs to keep us fed with mini pizzas, ice cream cups, and drinks,” Lee said. “We spent hours on end playing what Andy referred to as ‘option boption’ on the trampoline. This was where Mark Sexton and myself got crushed by Andy as he tackled the ball carrier. Of course, Andy See MCLEOD, Page 5
CRIME
Manning man charged with arson, desecration of remains
SECOND PLACE
Sophia Sousa Lexington County Chronicle