Evan’s Light

Many of you already know the heartbreaking health news about our dear friend and coach, Evan Ray. Evan is just 53 years old and was recently diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer in his spine and brain after a sudden onset of symptoms led him to the hospital less than a month ago. Since then, he has undergone emergency surgery and aggressive treatment, but the cancer has progressed rapidly. His medical team has now transitioned his care to focus on comfort at home, where he can be surrounded by his family and those who love him most.

Evan is a beloved husband, father, brother, and friend. His greatest joy is his family: his amazing wife Rachel and their five sons—Brigs, Grant, Joe, Kimball, and Benson. After a successful career in banking and finance, Evan chose to coach tennis at Highland High School in Gilbert, Arizona as a way to give back to his community, share his lifelong love of the sport, and spend meaningful time with his son, Benson, a senior at Highland and one of the tennis programs’ top players. Over the last four years, Evan has devoted countless hours to the Highland tennis program.

Evan believed that the boys and girls tennis programs at Highland should have safe, well-lit courts where they could train, compete, and build lifelong friendships. Upgrading the obsolete lights on all ten of the courts to modern LED lights became Evan’s passion project. His dream was that future generations of Highland tennis players would step onto beautifully lit courts and feel that someone had cared enough about them to make it happen.

Envisioning Evan’s dream, Rachel said, “It just makes me so happy to think his boys can think of him whenever the tennis courts are lit.”

This fundraiser is our effort to honor Evan by making his dream a reality. The goal is to fund the upgrade to high-quality LED lighting for all ten courts at Highland High School. This project will benefit the entire Highland tennis community: boys and girls teams, current students, future students, and families and neighbors who use the courts.

If the final project cost is less than expected, or if funds remain after the lighting is complete, any extra will go—working with the school, district, and Evan’s family—toward additional improvements to the Highland tennis facilities.

Evan has brought so much light into the world—as a husband, father, brother, friend, coach, and mentor. It is only fitting that his legacy continues in the form of light. Every time those courts shine during a boys or girls match, a late-night practice, or a community gathering, players and families will remember the way he loved his students, served his community, and did his part to light the world.

Every contribution, no matter the size, helps move this project forward. If you cannot donate, you can still support Evan’s legacy by sharing this campaign with others whose lives have been touched by Evan, by Highland tennis, or by high school sports in our community.

On behalf of Evan, Rachel, Brigs, Grant, Joe, Kimball, Benson, and the entire Highland tennis family: thank you for helping honor a beloved husband, father, brother, friend, and coach by bringing lasting light to these courts and to the rising generation.