’Live with Heart’: The enduring legacy of McFarland’s Derek Schwarting

MCFARLAND, Wis. — To those who knew him, Derek Schwarting lived by a simple but powerful motto: live with heart, be kind, and share with others.

Whether leading the McFarland Spartans as their starting quarterback or returning years later to coach and inspire the next generation, Schwarting gave everything he had to his community. Now, months after his tragic passing in March following a car crash, his spirit of selflessness continues to touch lives in ways no one could have anticipated.

A Leader on and off the Field

Schwarting’s impact on McFarland was profound. After cement-casting his name in local sports lore as a standout quarterback, he chose to return to his roots, spending the last couple of years coaching the Spartans.

But his mother, Traci Schwarting, says his greatness wasn’t defined by touchdowns or wins. It was defined by how he treated people.

“He was an amazing person,” Traci said. “He made everybody feel welcome, whether it was taking his 90-year-old grandmother to church every Sunday and conversing with those people at the church, or working with a youth basketball program. He really could sit and talk with people and make them always feel important and seen.”

For his younger brother, Tyler Schwarting, Derek was more than family—he was a guiding light.

“He truly was my best friend and my biggest role model in life,” Tyler said. “I don’t think I’ve ever or will ever look up to someone the way that I looked up to him, just from the way that he always inspired other people, the way that he acted with selflessness all the time.”

Shifting Darkness into Light

In March, the McFarland community was plunged into darkness when Schwarting passed away from injuries sustained in a car crash. Yet, true to his life’s motto, his final act was one of ultimate sharing. Schwarting was an organ donor, giving the gift of life and sight to strangers.

“We’ve learned that his liver was donated. He gave sight to two people that didn’t have sight before,” Traci shared.

But his mother notes that his donations extend far beyond the physical.

“In talking to a lot of his friends and coworkers and teammates and family members, he’s continuing to give back. So many of us are living differently. We’re living more intentionally. We’re sharing more. We’re loving more. I think that’s how his legacy will carry on—is all of us wanting to live our days how he lived all of his: with heart.”

Keeping the Spirit Alive

To ensure Schwarting’s generous spirit continues to shape the community, his family and friends have established the Derek Schwarting Legacy Foundation.

The foundation was born from a GoFundMe campaign started by two of his friends while he was still in the hospital. Today, it serves as a vehicle to support the local school, the football program, and projects that reflect Derek’s personal joys.

Among the foundation’s upcoming initiatives is a quiet tribute to Derek’s love of nature: installing two benches at a local park down the road.

“That was one of his favorite things—sitting and watching sunsets,” Traci said. “So, we just plan to give back to the community in all ways possible, and in all ways that we think he would have wanted us to.”

For a young man who lived his life with heart, the sun may have set too soon—but the warmth of his light still shines brightly on McFarland.

To learn more or support the foundation’s efforts, visit the Derek Schwarting Legacy Foundation.

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