A Texas middle school teacher, Jacob Sanchez, collapsed in front of his class and died earlier this month due to a heart attack. Sanchez, who was 35, was a coach and teacher at Devine Middle School in San Antonio, and had a strong rapport with his students.
Principal Kandi Darnell said that Sanchez was a “kid’s teacher” who took the time to connect with his students and was dedicated to the community of Devine. Rebecca Powe, Sanchez’s widow, issued a statement in his memory, “My honey was the light of our lives. He kept our family on our toes, constantly going, and always laughing. We shared a beautiful life together. He loved us with his whole heart and loved his life. He was dedicated to the community of Devine and the kids were his motivation every day,” she said.
The school posted a tribute to Sanchez on its Facebook account, where Darnell wrote, “We lost a friend, colleague, and just a good man today. Jacob was the kind of person who would do anything to help out others. He was a kids’ teacher. He worked hard to connect with all of our kids not just our athletes. Our kids are going to have a tough time, but our DMS family will be there to help our kids as well as each other.”
The loss of Jacob Sanchez has left a void in the hearts of many, and the school and community is rallying to support his family, students and colleagues. According to an obituary in the Devine News, “Jacob had a love for the beach. In the summer he would take his family down for weeks at a time to stay in their camper. He woke early and plotted their day of fishing. He was always after the biggest catch.”