It’s been just over two years since Emma Vollbracht tragically lost her soulmate and incomparable partner, former baseball player Reed Rohlman, in a car accident caused by an impaired driver.
The memories of when the couple met five years ago through mutual friends remain fresh. Vollbracht says there was an instant connection between the two.
“It was just one of those easy, natural relationships that felt right from the start,” she told Muscle & Fitness.
So, when faced with navigating life after Rohlman’s untimely death, she let the love she still held for him guide her next steps.
“I trusted him with my whole life, and so did everyone close to him,” she says. “Reed loved his people deeply—his family, his friends, and me—and he showed that love in the way he showed up for them every single day.”
Because of the love Rohlman expressed to those close to him, allowing his memory to fade was never an option for Vollbracht. She turned mourning into mobilization, working for a cause that would keep Reed Rohlman’s legacy alive.
His name lives on each day through the Reed Rohlman Foundation, an organization created by Vollbracht and one of Reed’s close friends, Jordan Coker, to help raise funds that enable talented student-athletes to pursue their academic and athletic dreams at the collegiate level.
Each year is highlighted by the Reed Rohlman Foundation Golf Tournament, held this year on May 16 at Eastpointe Country Club in Palm Beach, FL. Last year’s inaugural event raised more than double the intended goal. This year, the foundation hopes to top that success, using the late athlete’s winning mindset to keep pushing forward.
“Reed always believed hard work pays off, and that mindset has really helped carry us through,” she says.
Brian Hennessy
Who Was Reed Rohlman?
When baseball prodigy Reed Rohlman was just 15 years old, he committed to play Division I baseball at Clemson University in Clemson, SC. “Right when they offered, I knew,” he told the Clemson Tigers athletics department in 2017. “I didn’t wait … I told them I was coming.”
By his junior year of college, the Moore, SC native became a fixture on the field, earning the nickname “left-field Jesus” for the long hair and bushy beard he grew out—features that, in essence, symbolized his free-spirited, laid-back demeanor.
During his tenure with the Tigers, Rohlman racked up some impressive stats, such as a career .329 hitter with a .461 slugging percentage and .410 on-base percentage in 187 games (179 starts) over three seasons. He was also selected as a two-time All-American player as one of the top outfielders in the ACC—all factors that earned him a draft pick by the Kansas City Royals in 2017.
Rohlman competed in the organization’s minor league system until 2019, then moved to the coastal city of Jupiter, FL to start the next chapter of his life. It was there that he met Emma and a group of friends that made a new city feel like home.
When asked to describe Rohlman in her own words, she characterized him as an easy-going, humble, genuinely kind person who was loyal to his core.
“People were just naturally drawn to him because he made everyone around him feel comfortable and valued,” Vollbracht said. “Reed was incredibly well loved by everyone around him, but I don’t think he even realized the impact he had on people.”
Vollbracht also shared that Rohlman regularly volunteered his baseball expertise to the Miracle League of Palm Beach County, a baseball league for children with disabilities and special needs.
“It was something that meant a lot to him because he loved being around the kids and being part of something that gave everyone the chance to play and feel included. Reed had a natural way of connecting with people—especially kids.”
Aside from giving back, he enjoyed being on the water, playing baseball in local leagues, and spending time with Vollbracht and their dog, Roscoe. “I always joke that the two of them gave the saying ‘man’s best friend’ a whole new meaning,” she says.
Sadly, Rohlman’s young, abundant life was abruptly cut short. On March 27, 2024, he was killed in a car accident caused by an impaired driver in Hobe Sound, FL. He was 29.
Reed Rohlman Foundation
A Foundation of Love
In the midst of their shared grief, Rohlman’s mother, Jennifer; his sisters, Erica and Sylvia; girlfriend, Emma; and best friend, Jordan Coker, came together to establish The Reed Rohlman Foundation.
When asked what their impetus was for creating the foundation, Vollbracht told Muscle & Fitness, “There’s a saying that grief is just a lot of love with nowhere to go. For us, the foundation is where we’re putting that love, into something that can help people and keep Reed’s legacy alive.”
In honor of his love for baseball—as well as the warmth, humility, and generosity that defined his character—the foundation aims to carry forward Reed’s legacy by empowering young baseball athletes through college scholarships and supporting families in need who have been affected by impaired drivers.
Further, Vollbracht hopes to eventually implement an educational aspect to the foundation’s mission, too.
“Another goal is continuing to raise awareness around impaired driving. In the future, I’d love for the foundation to be involved in speaking opportunities or educational seminars at schools and colleges to help share Reed’s story and encourage safer choices.”
Thus far, the foundation held its first annual Reed Rohlman Foundation Golf Tournament in March 2025, where they raised around $20,000. The proceeds were then used to donate a Rapsodo baseball technology system to Reed’s high school, Byrnes High School. Additionally, they’ve also been able to support local youth sports teams by helping sponsor travel for away games, allowing young players the opportunity to play and compete beyond local locations.
This year, the foundation plans to have local youth baseball teams volunteering at the second annual golf tournament. And while golf will continue to be a mainstay in their fundraising efforts, Vollbracht would also like to expand into more baseball-related fundraising events, possibly partnering with Rohlman’s college alma mater, Clemson.
“At the end of the day, it’s not just about the money raised,” she said. “If we can create opportunities for young athletes and keep Reed’s name connected to the game and the communities he loved—while also raising awareness on impaired driving—then we know we’re doing something meaningful.”
The second annual Reed Rohlman Foundation Golf Tournament will be held on May 16, 2026, in Palm Beach Gardens, FL. To register for the tournament or donate to the Reed Rohlman Foundation, visit their website, ReedRohlmanFoundation.org.
Muscle & Fitness and JW Media, LLC were not involved in the creation of this sponsored content. The views and claims expressed do not necessarily reflect those of Muscle & Fitness or its editorial staff.
