Said goodbye to a former student today

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I had him last year as a junior in a forensic science class. My dad's accident was 2 days before school started last year so I missed the first week of school. Upon my return I explained to the students why I had been out and told them that I would have much rather been with them. I didn't know this student but I had heard wonderful things about his older brother. At the end of that day he sheepishly came into my class, handed me something, and told me not to read it until he left. It was a hand-written card saying that he was sorry for my loss, that he understood why I was out, and that I was going to be okay. He also said he knew my dad was proud of me. This was a 16/17 year old boy who had known me for all of 40 minutes. I made a point of thanking him privately the next day and telling him that it was an incredibly kind and thoughtful thing to do. He drove me nuts for all of last year for various reasons but I always cut him some slack because I knew he has a good heart. I saw him walk by my room at the end of the day today and I ran out. I called him and said "get over here! You were going to leave without saying goodbye?" I gave him a big hug and congratulated him on his graduation. I asked "you know why you are so special to me, right?" He smiled and nodded yes. I was happy to have the opportunity to see him and reinforce the fact that doing kind things is what you want to be remembered for. I wish I had asked him where he was going to college. He is both a football and track star but my guess is that he got a scholarship for track.