Lake Mary Wrestler Finds Family, Home With Her High School Coach

Maryellen Wingate came to Lake Mary High School to wrestle. She stayed because her coach became her family.

After losing both parents to cancer, Wingate found stability and support in an unexpected place: the home of her wrestling coach, Andy Rothenberg, and his wife Michelle. The Rothenbergs have become Wingate's legal guardians, transforming a coach-athlete relationship into something far more permanent.

Andy Rothenberg, who coaches wrestling at Lake Mary High School, and Michelle Rothenberg made the decision to open their home and their lives to Wingate after she was left without parents. The arrangement reflects the kind of commitment that goes well beyond a coach's typical responsibilities, turning the Rothenberg household into Wingate's home base as she continues competing for Lake Mary.

For Wingate, the loss of both parents to cancer could have derailed her athletic career and her path forward entirely. Instead, she remains on the mat, competing for the Rams while living under the care of the two people now legally responsible for her wellbeing.

The story of Wingate and the Rothenbergs stands as one of the more striking examples of how a school sports program can become a lifeline, not just a competitive outlet. Lake Mary's wrestling program gave Wingate a structure to hold onto, and her coach gave her something more lasting than wins and losses.