About 3 hours ago I found out that my friend, Adrian Cane, killed himself. He was a 23 year old man living and teaching in New York City. Before leaving for the 'big time' he had been a student at the University of Texas and graduated from the UTeach program with me in May. We had known each other for a short amount of time but I feel like I got to know him fairly well. He was a great guy and someone who seemed to really enjoy the meeting of the minds that came with education. He wanted to use his gift of teaching in a purposeful way which is partly what led him to NYC. I'm not sure what happened to him after he got there. I lost touch with him and truthfully had only talked to him online a couple of times since graduation. It goes without saying that things must not have been what he'd hoped.
Rather than speculate about why it happened, I would rather use this space to talk about what he meant to me. You see besides just being a classmate in the same program he was also a co-faculty member with me during our student teaching at Round Rock High School. I truly feel that without him at that school, I may have become very jaded toward students and education in general. But, as luck would have it, he was there. It saddens me to think that I never had the opportunity to tell him what a difference he made just by talking with me about students and lessons. We shared ideas, thoughts and failures with one another. He was the guy I went to during my time of student teaching when the chips were down and I needed a boost. Like I said, he probably never knew it, but I honestly doubt I'd be where I am now without his influence. And now... he's gone.
Knowing how this tragedy has affected me, I can't begin to fathom how his family and long term girlfriend are coping. Please pray for these people and anyone else that might have been impacted by Adrian's passing.
You will be missed Mr. Cane. You were a good friend and an incredible teacher.
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6 comments:
I'm sorry for your loss. As a UTeach-er, I know it must be hard.
Despite how I feel about prayer, I suppose it wouldn't hurt right now.
I came across your blog this morning because I was looking to see if any of the NY papers had written anything on Adrian. I was a colleague of his in NY and we are all so saddened and shocked at this tremendous loss. Adrian was an amazing guy and was constantly trying to improve and find new ways to reach kids. Although I'm a 10th grade teacher I have a 9th grade advisory and when I asked which class they liked the best, Mr. Cane's was the one they talked about. We are all trying to understand what happened, but I just thought knowing that people in NY cared about him and tried to help him might make you feel a little better.
Matt, I'm so sorry to hear about your friend. What a tragedy. It sounds like he was a wonderful guy. Will be praying for his family and friends as they try and understand this loss.
I have to say; this is a real shock to me, my daughter attended his class and was so over whelm with his unique style and affectiveness with students. she feels so bad, she looked forward attending his class and started to enjoy history.All the students loved him and appreciated his desire to teach, my daughter would say. it's a little disappointing that there wasnt any closure and everyone feeling why him? why did he have to die? And how did he die? As a parent I understand why this is being kept anonymous due to the magnitude of the situation. hopefully his parents can come and visit us here in NY to have a memorial service and have some type of closure.Sad to say,that I didnt have the chance in meeting him. I was really looking forward in doing so. I will pray for him and his family. Im glad I came across this Blogg. Adrian, Thank you so much for being in my daughter's life and sharing all your thoghts, experience,culture, and especially the sound of your harmonica.LOL..
Its been almost 4 months since Mr.Canes death........ But on nights like these is wen i remember him the most. I was one of his students. I wish i could of known him better. One thing I know for sure is i will never forget him. Somedays I walk into school and forget hes gone. I go to his class and stand there just thinking about him wondering how different things would of been if he still lived. Mr.Cane from the short amount of time i spent with him was a good man. He was so glad to be teaching and he would of made one of the best teachers i believe. So I will miss him very much and hope he is in a peaceful place.............
I've only discovered what you wrote about Adrian now. It's really good to see how many people Adrian affected and influenced.
I was a close friend of his from the age of 5 back when he lived in South Africa and despite the fact that he left when we were 13 he still had a huge impact on my life.
7 months down the line and I still haven't come to grips with the whole thing.
I put up a small guestbook for people to write messages at: http://www.tinyurl.com/adriancane
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