South Florida Students Mourn The Loss Of Two Beloved Teachers
SOUTHWEST MIAMI-DADE (CBSMiami) – Faculty and staff at Jack D. Gordon Elementary School in Southwest Miami-Dade are mourning two teachers who were killed in a car crash in Texas.
"We are a family and this has been a very, very difficult and tragic blow, completely unexpected. We are heartbroken," said Elena Izquierdo, a longtime colleague.
According to Texas authorities, Ileana Frias-Peyron and Christine Rumpf were driving through Iraan Texas when police said they ran off the road and overturned.
Watch Maggie Newland's report, click here.
Friends say Peyron's daughters were injured in the crash.
"I never think it could happen something like that," said Luisa Wallo told CBS4's Maggie Newland.
"They're going to be missed very much and so we're taking a deep breath… I know our staff will come out of this stronger and more committed to the school, to our children because of the lives that these two teachers have impacted here in our school," added Caleb Lopez, the principal of Jack D. Gordon.
The day after the crash, devastated colleagues and friends gathered at the school to share their grief and memories.
"We're just trying to get through it and everyone is remembering all the good things," said Lopez. "These two teachers are our green teachers… They're our recycling people they grow vegetables in our vegetable garden."
"They loved all of the birds plants travel love," added Wallo.
Teaching was their passion.
"Passion for kids, oh my, gosh for everybody for everybody," said Wallo.
"These were two professionals two educators two beautiful people that were loved beyond words and beyond measure," said Izquierdo.
Now, their friends and coworkers promise the two teachers will never be forgotten.
"The teachers lived life and they lived life to the fullest and that's really what we're taking from this, that life is meant to be experienced to the full and no reservation move forward, go forward. Learn, share, give back. Those are the kinds of things that we're going to take away from the lives of these two teachers," said Lopez.
Although school is out for the year, grief counselors are being made available for students and staff and the school plans to find a way to honor the teachers next year.
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