Angelina Reno, the daughter of former Yale football coach Tony Reno, wrote an emotional post about her late father after his death on Friday, October 2.
“I don’t know how to do this,” Angelina shared via Instagram on Saturday, October 3. “I don’t know how to write about someone who meant the world to me. You were the most family-oriented person I’ve ever known. And I don’t say that lightly. You didn’t just talk about loving us, you showed up. You never made us feel like a burden. You made us feel like we were everything.”
Yale — where he was the head football coach from 2012 to 2025 — announced Tony’s death on Friday. He was 52. No cause of death was given.
Tony stepped down as coach in February due to undisclosed health issues. According to a fundraiser arranged in his honor, Tony was recently diagnosed with Creutzfeldt‑Jakob disease, a rare and serious degenerative neurological disease.
“You were caring in ways I didn’t even notice until I got older,” Angelina wrote. “The quiet ways. The tired ways. The ways that never asked for anything back. You gave and you gave, and somehow you still had more to give. You were the hardest working person I’ll ever know. Not because of the hours but because of why you put them in. You worked for us. You sacrificed for us. You built your whole life around us.”
She continued, “Every single day, you set the standard. And every single day, I looked up to you. I still do, and forever will. I’ve never met anyone like you. I don’t think I ever will. You showed me what it means to be a good human being. And I’ll spend the rest of my life trying to live up to the person you were.”
Angelina concluded her post, “I miss you more than words could ever hold. I love you, Dad. To the moon and back ❤️.”
Tony is survived by his wife, Toni, and their three children: Dante, Angelina and Vince.
Dante, 22, took to the field as Yale’s quarterback just one day after his father’s death on Saturday, October 3. He threw for four touchdowns and 298 yards in a 41-24 win over Merrimack.
“This one’s for you pops ❤️,” Dante posted via X after the game.
The fundraiser made after Tony’s death will help the Renos face “challenges ahead that no family should have to carry alone.”
“If you feel moved to contribute, know that anything given goes directly toward Tony and his family, so they can face what’s ahead together,” the page reads. “From the bottom of our hearts, thank you. Tony has spent a lifetime showing up for others. Your kindness is your way of showing up for him.”
