On the morning of June 10th 2023, the North Pocono community was changed forever. Kadan Rabender, a beloved student, teammate, and friend, passed away in a car accident. Family and friends of Kadan from all across the area flooded with tributes and memories. Whether it was a memorial set up at the site of the crash or the student section conducting a “red out” during one of the football games this past season, there was no shortage of support for Kadan and his family. Perhaps the greatest show of support was what the North Pocono Boys’ Lacrosse Team was able to accomplish this season in honor of their fallen teammate.
Kadan Rabender was a constant light in the lacrosse locker room and someone everyone went to. Nolan Colo, a senior, says that Kadan would “always hype us up.” He further described him as “a great person to be around.” Riley Moore, a senior and close friend of Kadan, says that Rabender was “one person that you could always count on and he was always there to help people out.” Even people who never played with Kadan still felt his impact whether it was in the classroom or outside of school. Max Gentile, a senior and first year lacrosse player, highlights that Kadan was a great person and he was “part of the reason why I played lacrosse this year.” With it being their senior seasons, Gentile states “I wish I was able to play with Kadan. Especially since it’s our senior year.”
Even though Kadan may not physically be there to play and cheer on his teammates, his memory is still with the team every time they suit up for a game or practice. Gentile takes the fuel that he gets from knowing that Kadan is not able to play and he is confident that “it makes me play harder.” Gentile recalls watching multiple events from the stands last year when Rabender stepped up and took a leadership role. “Even though the team didn’t have the best season last year, he was always motivating that team.” Whenever things seem to be going south for the team, his memory is always there. Colo adds to this point saying “whenever we’re in a dark place we always think ‘who’s the one person that we’re playing for?’ We think of him every single game and remember that he is the one that we are playing for.” Riley Moore and Kadan Rabener were a duo on the lacrosse team that no other team wanted to face because they knew how dangerous that was. Riley says that Kadan “was my partner in crime.” Moore then recalls how he and Rabender were “always connected” and they always seemed to know what the other person was going to do.
The North Pocono Boys’ Lacrosse team, with Kadan in their hearts, was able to more than double their wins from the previous season. They fittingly finished the regular season with eight wins, the same number that Kadan wore on the field. Moore describes it as “a fallen soldier situation where we are just trying to do our best knowing he is looking down on us while we play.” For Gentile, he feels “really good to know that we are performing well for Kadan and knowing that he is looking down on us and smiling.” Nolan doubles down on Max’s feelings. “It feels good to know that we are one of the first teams in North Pocono’s history to almost have a winning record. It is also a good feeling to have knowing that he is with us for every single practice and every single game.”
With the circumstances of what occurred that day in June, what the boys’ lacrosse team has done is nothing short of incredible and inspiring. Every game and practice, they have come out displaying a sticker on their helmets with Kadan’s red number eight along with his name. However, it is so much more than a sticker on a helmet. It is about friendships and a brotherhood that will never be broken with time. It is about a person who impacted so many people in such a large community. Even though he is no longer here, Kadan Rabender’s love and impact is still felt by so many.
