Yesterday morning, while groggily scanning my newsfeed, three capitalized letters caught my attention: "R. I. P." As I normally do, I paused to read over the status, intending to say a quick prayer for the deceased and their family. This time however, my jaw dropped. Could it really be true? Did my high school principal who was young, energetic, and fully devoted to his students suddenly die twenty days before graduation?
 
And, then I read this. Through a wall of tears, I spent most of the day reading through news articles, and facebook posts.

Mr. Vitori, you will be greatly missed! At our best and worst, you were always there with a smile on your face. From the moment you stepped foot in the halls of CHS, you were dedicated to making sure that every person you interacted with knew that they were valued, that they were supported, and that they had great potential to succeed.... Thank you for investing in my life and the lives of hundreds of others! You will always be remembered as one of our greatest influences and biggest fans. May your legacy live on through those who have been blessed by knowing you. My thoughts and prayers are with your family and the Charleroi community.

My tiny memorial is not unique; hundreds of students and alumni have posted blurbs in honor of our principal. He was the unique one- a school administrator who was selflessly devoted to his students. Taking over in a school district that had seen multiple administrators abandon them, he will be remembered as a man who refused to leave any student behind. He attended every event, knew every student by name, and approached every situation with confidence that that every person was a good kid at heart.

His death is a solemn reminder of how precious life is. It can pass in a moment without notice, but a life lived with humble integrity and sincere joy has the potential to impact hundreds of others before it does.  As I sport the red and the black in honor of a great man, my heart is in Cougar country today as our small town remembers one of its everyday heroes. 

I never did properly thank him for his investment in my life, but I am now reminded to say express gratitude in every moment because tomorrow is never guaranteed...