CEDAR FALLS, Iowa-- In small town Parkersburg, Iowa, three things matter most: faith, family, and Falcon football.
Thomas was murdered by one of his own, former player and close family friend, Mark Becker. Three days after being diagnosed as a paranoid schizophrenic, Mark walked into the Falcon field house and shot Coach Thomas seven times, in front of 22 students.
That was June 24, 2009.
Mark Becker was sentenced to life behind bars.
To try to really understand what happened, Joan Becker, Mark's mom, says people need to look back in time even further. It's a message she now openly shares.
"Our family experienced a tragedy we did not see coming," says Joan.
Mark grew up in a home with strong family values. And he was on the football team, the stamp of approval in Parkersburg. But it was when Mark when off to college his parents knew something wasn't right with Mark's brain.
"He goes, 'Mom, did you hear that loud bang? Mom, can't you feel the evil? Can't you feel it?' And I just got chills that ran down my spine," says Joan.
Mark had to move back home where his psychotic episodes escalated.
In Mark's mind, his parents and Coach Thomas were in a conspiracy against him, trying to control his thoughts.
The Beckers tried everything, from different doctors and programs to having Mark arrested. But the diagnosis they were searching for came too late.
"It took too long. And we were this close to being there. But close wasn't soon enough," says Joan.
Joan says there needs to be more options for people suffering from mental illness so a story like this never has to be told again.
"We need more care for them. We just don't have enough," says Joan.
Joan says Mark is doing better in prison. He's recognized his illness and is being treated, all while trying to take back his life from behind bars.
"Mark wants people to know that he loves Ed Thomas, and he never ever would have ever done this in his sane mind," says Joan.
Joan keeps in touch with the Thomas family regularly.
The families are focusing on healing and moving forward, and so is their home town.
"To this day, it's really special to me when I walk down Main Street Parkersburg, and the merchants ask, 'How is Mark doing?" says Joan.
Joan says Mark will have an opportunity to be granted a new trial because he is sentenced to life. But the family says there's a slim chance Mark's sentence will ever change.