In South Cumminsville, Gilbert Cole wasn't just a neighbor he was family to an entire community.The 70-year-old's family told us he was known by many names: Gilbert to some, Gea to others, Cole to his former coworkers at the Fo rd Transmission Plant in Sharonville and Coach Cole to generations of young athletes. But to countless people throughout Cincinnati, he was simply "Dad.""Like, a community dad, like he was a father to everybody he coached for the Cumminsville Bears for many years," his daughter Tiffanie Cole said. "All of our friends call him dad."Cole died at UC Medical Center Sunday, two days after fire crews rushed him there with severe burns. A fire broke out early Friday morning on the second floor of Cole's Llewellyn Avenue home. Cole's three dogs died in the fire.WATCH: Family remembers Gilbert Cole, beloved coach and mentor Family remembers man who died days after crews rescued him from burning homeCole's daughters, Tiffanie and Latrice Cole, said they got that devastating phone call Friday morning and raced to the hospital. They had hope at first because their father was still talking to paramedics and doctors."But it wasn't until we actually got into the emergency room and got to see him that it really was shocking that he even walked away from that," Latrice Cole said.Before his decades-long career at the Ford Transmission Plant in Sharonville, Cole's daughters said he was a skilled craftsman and a jack-of-all-trades."He painted. He was a painter. All around, yeah, he could build a house if he wanted to," Latrice Cole said. "There is nothing he can't fix." His daughters said his generosity extended beyond his immediate family. Cole maintained a special Christmas account, saving money throughout the year to ensure not just his own children and grandchildren had a good holiday, but his siblings' families as well."He goes around and pass out money to make sure that all his family and grandkids, and also his sister and brothers' grandkids, to make sure that they had a good Christmas," Tiffanie Cole said.Cole's impact on Cincinnati's football community spanned decades. As a defensive lineman, he played semi-pro football for years, spending his final playing years with the Cincinnati Black Panthers. His dedication to the sport earned him induction into the 2024 Cincinnati Semi-Pro Football Hall of Fame.But it was his work with young athletes that truly defined his legacy, his daughters said. Coaching for the Cumminsville Bears youth football team, Cole became a mentor and father figure to countless young men who continued seeking his guidance well into their adult years."He's going to be missed by a lot of people," Latrice Cole said. "I'm just grateful because of the man that he was. Because the man that he was is giving us the strength to be able to deal with this." While he made his home in South Cumminsville, his roots ran deep in Skyline Acres, where he was raised.Wherever Cole went, he carried the same gift an ability to lift people up when they needed it most. His daughters remember him as someone who always knew exactly what to say."He always has positive, uplifting words," Latrice Cole said. "You could come to him; he'll lift you up. You'll be so down, and by the time you're done talking to him, you're laughing. I always would tell him, 'Daddy, why do you just know the right things to say to me?' He said, 'Because you're my baby.'"The outpouring of love following Cole's death has been overwhelming for his family, Latrice Cole said. At the hospital over the past few days, a steady stream of visitors came to pay their respects a testament to the lives Cole touched."So many people up at the hospital. Over the course of these past two, three days. He's had so much love and support," Latrice Cole said. "We've been so grateful."Even while his daughters spoke with us about their father's life, cars stopped along the street as drivers got out to offer their condolences."It's just devastating for our family. This has been the worst tragedy ever that our family has had to encounter. He's going to be missed so much," said Latrice Cole. "We ask people to pray for the family, keep us in their prayers. And that's all we could really ask for at this moment."This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy. ...read more read less