by Garth Meyer
Keith Marco, a 2021 Redondo Union High School graduate and Cal Poly football player, died June 6, at age 21, from a pulmonary embolism.
Marco was a 6-foot-4, 290-pound lineman at RUHS, playing both offense and defense. At Cal Poly, he was a junior food science major, and member of the Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity. He redshirted in 2021 and 2022 for the football program, and last played at left guard in a Sept. 9, 2023 game against San Jose State.
A paddleout in celebration of his life was held June 15 in Hermosa Beach.
“He was a great young man,” said Keith Ellison, RUHS head football coach, who was defensive coordinator during the three years Marco started on the defensive and offensive lines. “Always in the best of spirits, always with a smile on his face, I never saw him in a bad mood. I can’t say enough good things about the type of young man he was. He brought a lot of joy to a lot of people. It’s tremendously sad.”
Marco played just two games his senior year, before tearing his ACL.
“He had an opportunity to be a really good player had it not been for the injuries,” Ellison said.
Keith’s father, John, died two years ago of cancer. Keith’s survivors include his mother, Audrey Marco, and older sister, Emma Marco.
A pulmonary embolism is the result of a blood clot in an artery in the lung. Marco was rushed to UCLA Medical Center in Westwood May 23, but his surgery was unsuccessful.
He was put on life support. He was an organ donor.
“Keith just loved people,” said his mother Audrey. “He was born with a supersized empathy gene. He just was light, and concerned, and considerate.”
He went to Madison Elementary and Adams Middle School in Redondo Beach.
RUHS gives 40 character awards each year, nominated by teachers. Marco won two of the awards in one year, the only student in the 43-year history of the awards to do so.
At his San Luis Obispo fraternity, Marco won the award for “courage” his freshman year, and for “kindness” as a sophomore and junior.
His friend Dylan Pitts plays on the San Diego State club lacrosse team.
“Keith was very outgoing, not afraid to be himself. He was the center of attention, naturally,” said Pitts, a lacrosse teammate of Marco’s at RUHS. “People would just gravitate toward him. He was very understanding and a close friend, he had a very balanced character, I would say. The people are going to be what make any place great, and 100%, Keith was one of those.”
Marco was set to do an internship this summer with Symrise in Newport Beach, a global fragrance, flavor and nutrition company. An avid chess player, his friends called him “Beef.”
“Live Like Keith” was a recurring theme of the celebration of life.
“The wind pushed him in the direction of football, because of his size,” Audrey said. “But he was never just football. I asked him, what do you like most about it? He said, ‘I don’t know if you’ll ever understand this, but I love the huddle.’”
“Everybody needs a Keith in their life,” read a note sent to the family during his two weeks in the hospital.
“I would trade places with you in a heartbeat,” wrote another. “…You’re kinder to this world than most of us.”
“Keith: one of the kindest, most generous souls I have ever known,” wrote another.
“There are some people in the world who make everyone feel warm, welcome and loved,” another wrote. “You are one of them.”
“Do good, be kind. Consider others. Support and love the people in your lives,” Audrey said of the ‘Live Like Keith’ mantra. “Focus on your blessing and stay steadfast, with courage, to your dreams. That’s what he gave, that’s what he’s imparting.” ER
