400 Students Skip Class To Sing To Their Teacher Fighting Cancer

Aug 28, 2019 by apost team

Teachers are among the most honored members of our society. Like parents, teachers guide young minds, molding children into amazing adults. In a touching story from Tennessee, a group of students got together to show a teacher facing a terminal illness how much they cared for him.

Ben Ellis taught Latin at Christ Presbyterian Academy in Nashville for eight years. Praised as a good role model by his colleagues, Ben was diagnosed with esophageal cancer but taught throughout the worst of his illness. The educator said that being with his students helped him through some of the tough days of his treatment.

When Ben’s condition became so severe that he became housebound, the students and teachers of Christ Presbyterian Academy decided to do something to show their appreciation for all the work he did to help them, CNN reports.

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As staff gathered for the morning prayer, administrators got the idea that it would be nice to pray and sing hymns outside of Ben’s home. The idea was also brought up by parents the night before when news of Ben’s decline was first told to students.

Before setting out for Ben’s house, Parker Altman, the principal of Christ Presbyterian, got permission from Ben and his family to gather on their property. Ben later told reporters that he loved the idea of being able to pray and sing with his students one last time.

Over four hundred students and teachers traveled to Ben’s house by bus and car. Many skipped class and even tests to be with Ben. Before the group began singing, a friend of the Ellis family read a letter written by Ben where he told of how he loved each and every one of them and that he was filled with joy by their actions.

After singing a few hymns, the crowd was greeted by Ben, who appeared at his bedroom window. In a video shared by country music megastar Tim McGraw, Ben can be seen at his window with tears in his eyes as he sings along with his students. The video has thus far generated over 36 million views on Facebook.

Tragically, Ben passed away ten days after the student body serenaded him at his home. Headmaster Nathan Morrow shared the news with students and parents via email, telling everyone who read his letter than Ben was home now, reports The Tennessean.

What do you think of how the students and teachers of Christ Presbyterian Academy gathered to sing hymns and religious songs outside of their terminally ill teacher’s house?