This past summer, Summit High School graduate Aidan Collins was in a major bind. 

After graduating from Summit High School in the spring of 2022, Collins decided to attend the University of Colorado in Boulder, staying close to the mountains he was raised in.

During his junior year at the university, Collins studied abroad in Europe. While the experience was enlightening and life-changing, Collins was overseas as the summer began, leading his landscaping business — A-Z Landscaping & Handy Services — to be shorthanded as the new season kicked off.

As clients reached out to him for landscaping jobs, Collins was not sure what to do. Feeling like he had nowhere to turn, Collins turned to to his former high school wrestling coach, Pete Baker. 

Baker quickly drove over to Collins’ parent’s house, picked up the mower and went about completing the landscaping job. 

“When he showed up at my house and picked up the lawn mower, my mom told him he didn’t need to do this, however Pete insisted, ‘This is what friends do for each other,'” Collins said. “I can’t tell you how much that meant to me. I’ll never forget those words from Pete.”

Baker’s willingness to help Collins is just one display of his selflessness, determination and work ethic. The beloved mixed martial arts fighter, father, husband, brother and wrestling coach died last month. 

According to his wife, Shani Baker, Pete’s health steadily declined over the last four years after he was diagnosed with eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis — a rare autoimmune disorder that causes inflammation of blood vessels. He died at the age of 47.

With the health disorder gradually attacking different organ systems, Pete, Shani and his daughter, Kendall, ultimately decided before his death that it was no longer practical for him to live in Summit County at over 9,000 feet elevation. 

“We decided let’s do the beach. He can’t breathe here,” Shani said. “So, he moved to North Carolina.”

With Kendall currently a junior at Summit High School, the family decided it was not fair to uproot their lives until Kendall graduated in the spring of 2027. In the meantime, Pete frequently made trips back to Colorado to see Kendall and Shani. The time away from his family was hard for Pete to deal with, but it meant the world to him to reconnect with Shani and Kendall on his visits back to the Centennial State.

Born and raised in Colorado, Pete has been around sports his entire life. Whether flying off a cliff on his snowboard, performing a rear-naked choke in the octagon or teaching athletes how to win a wrestling match, Pete lived and breathed sports.

Through his business — Rogue Builders — coaching and sports, Pete formed countless bonds, making his passing especially painful for much of the Summit County community.

“​​He wasn’t just my wrestling coach, he was like a second father to me,” class of 2022 Summit High School graduate Luca Rizzo said. “He pushed me to be tougher, more disciplined and to work as hard as I can for the things I wanted. He had a huge influence on who I am today, and I will be forever thankful that he was in my life.”

“Pete didn’t stop being there for me after that final meet my senior year,” Collins said. “Pete stayed close as a great mentor and better friend. He would always make an effort to visit me down at college and make it to CU football games with his daughter, Kendall.”

Outside of being a foundation for his athletes to lean on, Baker also played an instrumental role in the continual emergence of wrestling in Summit County.

“For the past 15 years, Pete was instrumental — when the program faced uncertain times — at keeping it alive through an unwavering belief in what wrestling could mean for Summit’s youth,” current Summit High School wrestling coach Steve Kasprzyk said. “… He coached with a big heart, and his legacy lives on in every athlete who found confidence on the mat. Pete’s spirit will be missed.”

Baker even served a pivotal role in making sure Summit High School established a girls wrestling program — a milestone that was successfully reached this past spring. Although he will not be able to see the team compete in its inaugural season this winter, Pete laid the groundwork for the team to have a long and storied history.

“He was always there when you needed him,” current Summit High School girls wrestling team member Ayla Hampton said. “I can account countless times when he did more than he was obligated to do for me, even when it meant picking up other people’s slack. He was the biggest advocate for the girls wrestling team. Even though it took longer than it should have, he made that happen for us, and I’ll never forget that.”

Current Summit High School sophomore Axel Knipp expressed his grief by designing the back plate of his football pads with Pete’s name. With so many young athletes in the community feeling the impact of Pete’s death, Kasprzyk and the rest of the Summit wrestling program is providing outreach and counseling services.

Pete’s close friends, family and former coaches were also quick to express their condolences. Many elaborated on the degree of attention Pete put into each and every one of his friendships. Former coach and 303 Training Center owner Tony Basile even called Pete one of the greatest friends he could ask for.

“This world is a tough place to find a good pal that will be there for you no matter what,” Basile said. “Pete Baker was the best pal any man could have had, and he certainly was one of the toughest men I have ever had the honor to coach.”

No one was perhaps closer to Pete than Shani. After meeting one another as teenagers, the pair established a life for themselves in Summit County, helping one another to achieve their wildest dreams in the process. After so many memorable moments alongside one another, both Shani and Kendall will miss Pete dearly. 

“Pete is my best friend,” Shani said. “I have known him since we were teenagers. We were friends forever, and then we got married. We always had things that were like ours. He would do his thing, and I would do mine. We always just encouraged each other as friends. Wrestling was his.”

A celebration of life will be held at Whiskey Star Smokehouse on Main Street in Breckenridge on Saturday, Sept. 27. Community members are invited to join the event from 1-5 p.m. An evening gathering will follow the celebration of life at Prospector Campground in Dillon. The gathering will take place at campsites 93-96. More sits can be rented at Recreation.gov.

Donations to support Kendall’s dance and education can be made ahead of the celebration of life by visiting GoFundMe.org. Support can also be provided to the family by visiting GiveInKind.com/inkinds/P3Y0V7J.