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EASTON, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) – A beloved Washington Union High School teacher died Wednesday after collapsing successful his classroom.
David Maynez was 56 years old.
Now, an armchair embroidered with the words “dad’s spot” sits bare successful his surviving room.
“We tin lone strive to person the bequest that helium had,” his girl Jennifer Maynez said.
Maynez’s household hangs connected to the cognition that he’s successful a amended place.
He was a transgression justness teacher astatine Washington Union High School, known for his dedication to students.
“I didn’t recognize the impact. I knew helium did with students, but it’s bigger than that,” Maynez’s wife, Katrina, said.
He spent galore years moving arsenic a Fresno Police officer, but Jennifer says his bosom ever laic with the adjacent generation. So, helium discontinue and became a teacher.
“Kids didn’t person wealth for luncheon erstwhile they’d spell connected trips? He’d usage the wealth retired of his pouch and he’d wage for their stuff,” Jennifer said. “He’d astir apt springiness the garment disconnected his backmost if helium could.”
“Well, I deliberation helium did,” Maynez’s oldest daughter, Victoria, responded. “I deliberation determination were times we’d person immoderate apparel and he’d beryllium like, ‘take them to my students.’”
Maynez won Washington Union Teacher of the Year successful 2024 and was nominated for Fresno County Superintendent of Schools Teacher of the Year this year.
He recovered retired helium was a finalist earlier helium died.
“He ever had aesculapian issues, truthful we expected it eventually, but not this soon,” Jennifer said.
They accidental his bosom bushed for the adjacent generation. It was the taxable of his last speech with Victoria.
“He called maine and helium said, ‘I bought your girl a play set,’” Victoria said. “For our kids, and for our aboriginal kids.”
She says the play acceptable has not adjacent arrived yet. So her girl volition inactive person a acquisition from grandpa, adjacent aft his death.
She hopes her children turn up to beryllium sacrificial and other-focused conscionable similar him.
