Death of Ex-Mission Viejo Coach Rush Shocks Colleagues

A day after former Mission Viejo football Coach Mike Rush collapsed and died, friends and colleagues expressed shock at his passing.

Rush was pronounced dead at 5:41 p.m. Tuesday at Saddleback Memorial Hospital, minutes after the teacher and coach collapsed at the home of a friend and was rushed to the hospital by paramedics. He was 46.

Cause of death was heart failure after a massive attack, the Orange County coroner’s office said Wednesday.

Rush recently finished the season as an assistant football coach at Rancho Santiago. He had resigned his Mission Viejo coaching position March 5 after five seasons and a 45-16 record.

Rush said pressure from administrators to enforce a no-devil logo policy contributed to his decision to quit.

His teams won two South Coast League titles and reached the Southern Section Division III semifinal in 1988 and the Division II semifinals in 1989 and 1990.

“We’re all startled and saddened and shocked to say the least,” said Bob Metz, Mission Viejo principal. “Mike was a good teacher and was a very knowledgeable football person. He loved the kids, and we’ll never forget all the good things he did for this school.”

Rush was separated from his wife and was living with Jim Amthor, who coached under Rush at Mission Viejo and is a linebackers coach at Capistrano Valley.

Rush had returned to Amthor’s house late in the afternoon from a meeting with school district officials. Amthor said Rush and Mike Hoffman, a Mission Viejo assistant under Rush who stayed on the Diablo staff, had planned to take a fishing trip to Redding for Thanksgiving.

“He and Mike were getting their gear together,” Amthor said. “They were going to leave (Wednesday).”

Amthor said Rush appeared healthy when he arrived at home five minutes earlier, sat down on a step outside and collapsed.

“This is very much a shock, I thought he was fine, there was nothing that indicated otherwise,” said Amthor, who considered Rush “like a brother.”

Rush is survived by his wife, Pam, son Payson of Mission Viejo and daughters Jaymie of Mission Viejo and Jennifer of San Francisco, his mother, Betty of Santa Ana, and sisters Gayle of Buttonwillow and Cheryl of Santa Ana.

After a private funeral, the Rush family has planned a memorial service at Saddleback Community Church either Monday or Tuesday. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the American Heart Assn., in memory of Mike Rush.