Loss of a teacher

[RobFTC]

I know the voice of the principal at my girls' high school pretty well, since he's often recording messages that go out to all parents.  But it was him live today - calling for me, personally.  He needed me to know that a long-time science teacher had been in a horrible rollover accident on Interstate 25 last night, along with her husband.  I hadn't read the e-mail he'd sent out to all parents until he called.  I can only imagine how hard it would be to have to make a bunch of calls like that.

 

This was Sarah's Chemistry teacher.  I had not met her; because I have two students at the school, I am always making choices about who I meet as I walk their schedules on Back To School night, and that night I'd met Becca's Chemistry teacher instead.  Sarah says she was one of her favorite new teachers, and pretty awesome.  There were tears.  I told her that her penchant for being generous with hugs could help some other students when that class rolls around on Monday.

 

The girl does have a big heart, but I wish she didn't have to be the expert on grief among her peers :'(

 

Take care,

Rob T

[Trying]

It's so hard to see our kids face more grief with all they have been through already.  My heart goes out to your daughter.

[twin_mom]

It sucks for our children that they become the expert on death and grief for their peers, I agree.

 

Big hugs to Sarah, and I hope this doesn't trigger a grief slide for her.

[imissdow]

So very sorry.  Wish I had more to say you and your girls are in my prayers.

[hikermom]

I'm so sorry. How hard for your community, the school, your daughter and that family. Tragedies like this - close to home - can feel so personal now. Over the summer, a boy in my daughter's class lost his dad to drowning. I cried for days thinking about that boy. Holding empathy, knowing how it feels to be the one living the loss, is both a blessing and a curse.

 

Hugs to you and your daughter.

[SimiRed]

I'm so sorry, Rob.  Hugs to your daughter, I'm sure it will be difficult in the coming days at school.

[Julester3]

That is a tough and sad situation. Kids can form attachments to particular teachers. You and your daughter are in our thoughts.

[Jess]

This actually happened to me not once but twice. My third grade teacher was not a surprise since she had late stage live cancer. She died that spring and the school worked with us a lot to try to support us. My senior year ceramics teacher was a complete surprise and was not handled as well as your daughter's school handled it. I remember sitting in my Spanish class listening to the morning announcements and them just saying over the loudspeaker he had passed suddenly in his sleep. I was the only one that had him as a teacher and everyone else got to work like nothing had happened as I sat there in shock trying not to burst into tears. Just awful.

 

It says a lot about how your daughter's school reacted quickly as to how it will be handled overall. It is a horrible situation that is so hard for any kid to deal with, especially one that that has already been through so much. My heart goes out to her.

[klim]

My husband was the  teacher...there one day, gone the next. He died of a sudden catastrophic unexpected heart attack at home.

 

We held his funeral/memorial in the school auditorium right after school so kids could attend. The school helped put it all together, They flanked the corridor as I and my sons and the rest of our family members processed into the auditorium.  It was very memorable. The students were wonderful and teachers all said that everyone had wanted to do it. They said they thought it was good for the students to be involved. I don't know but I felt  it was  good for me  and it was the right thing to do for him.... and hopefully right for the students.

 

So many students left condolences....