RIP Manny

One of my students passed away today. Emmanuel "Manny" Stewart had Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. Manny made my decision to go into the teaching field worth everything. Manny could light up a room. His infectious smile and laugh made everyone around him happy. He loved music, talking about the weather, working on video projects with his boys Mario, Jake, Mike, and Will, and spending lunch time down in the TV control room.
Manny never let his disability interfere with his love of life. When you called his name for attendance he would quickly respond, "here", he was always willing to learn, he was always polite. When he would come down to my area during lunch, he would pull his wheelchair up to a computer and very politely ask me to lift his head so he could sit up. Never a complaint, never disrespectful, always ready to learn.
I am very, very sad tonight.
My deepest sympathy to his family.
RIP Manny, like a streaking meteorite, you shined brightly, but left us all too soon.