In December we lost a student at school. He was one of my students, very personable with a great future. His loss tore out my heart.

About halfway through the next quarter one of his friends told me they had been together in the surf on kayaks and then he was gone. They never found him. The friend commented that he wanted to go into the surf to find him but that the other people on the beach wouldn't let him go. I told him that Jerod would not have wanted him to risk his life that way.

Then, in March, one of the members of my Academic Challenge Bowl team went on a church outing to Tarzan Falls. Apparently he slipped on the rocks, hit his head, and was gone before anyone saw anything. They did eventually find him but it was too late.

I will never forget this school year. It has been the most difficult, emotionally, that I can imagine. I have spoken with veteran teachers who tell me they have never experienced anything like this and hope they never will.

All this is the long way of saying that I hope someone remembers to comfort Kaelan's teachers, mentors, friends, and anyone else who him in their hearts. He sounds like he was a great kid, as special as those two were to me. I hope they can find their own peace.

And Sandy and Caroline, I am still thinking of you and hoping for the best for you and for Kaelan's parents.