31-07-2025
Hempfield booster clubs hold fundraiser for family of late Penn-Trafford football coach
A fundraiser was held in Westmoreland County on Wednesday to support the family of late Penn-Trafford football coach T.J. Detruf, who died over the weekend.
People in Westmoreland County have been coming together to remember Detruf, who was an assistant coach for the school's freshman team.
Detruf leaves behind his wife Jen and son Dom, who is the starting quarterback at Hempfield High School.
The fundraiser was held by football players, cheerleaders, and band members at Millie's Ice Cream.
"T.J. was an amazing father to Dom and husband to Jen," said Jennifer Lippman, president of the Hempfield Football Boosters. "He also was a coach for Penn-Trafford and he was just an amazing person. You'd never see T.J. without a smile, he's always happy."
"That's a small town where everybody really takes pride in their guys, and you can tell he was beloved in Jeannette," said Penn-Trafford head coach John Ruane, who said he's heard from coaches across the WPIAL since the weekend. "It's devastating to a lot of people that this guy worked with.
Hempfield head coach Nick Keefer says the school community is rallying around Dom and his family, but the surrounding communities have joined in with their support as well.
"I think that's the biggest thing that you see in Westmoreland County and even in the Pittsburgh area, the football community is when people rally together," Keefer said.
The Penn-Trafford football boosters are also collecting donations to support the Detruf family through a QR code posted on the group's Facebook page.
