Rachael Dengler, principal at St. Thomas Aquinas School in Cleveland, said she would never expect the loss of a child when she thinks of the young minds in her classrooms.
On Monday, students will fill these seats, but one classmate will be missing.
"His life was cut far too short, but the love for him has not gone anywhere,” said Dengler.
She is talking about the love for Amir Prewitt, 7. It fills the school building and it's a reflection of what Amir poured into it, she said.
Amir should be starting second grade at St. Thomas Aquinas School. Instead, his presence will be desperately missed.
"We are certainly not at a lack of tears this week," said Dengler.
Amir was hit and killed Friday while riding his skateboard.
Principal Dengler says everyone is devastated.
"Amir was a spitfire," she said. "He just finished first grade, and everybody in school knew Amir.”
He was a friend to all and stranger to none.
"His smile was as big as his face, and it was easy to come by," recalled Dengler.
That smile is front and center in photos Principal Dengler shared with News 5 Anchor Katie Ussin as they met to talk about Amir, his impact, and how the school is coping with the loss.
Dengler said STA is tight-knit school that’s more like a family. She said the school had just marked 125 years as a community staple, with generations of students, staff, and meaning in the community.
She said the students and teachers are supporting each other right now like a family would.
"I was really grateful and not surprised at all to see how many of them showed up at Amir’s vigil on Monday evening for the balloon release because that’s who we are," she said.
Dengler says there will be counselors and lots of open sharing of feelings. She wants Amir and all her students to know they matter and make a difference in this world.
"Amir brought all of himself every day in full zeal for life and full of passion for whatever you put in front of him," she said. "And that matters. We knew him as a person. We knew him as our Amir, not just a student who happened to go to our school, and it's important that we speak about him in a way that shows the love we have for him and for his family."
While their school will be less smiley this year, she says memories of Amir will bring smiles to their faces as they remember and honor him.
The STA community wrote in a tribute post on social media: "When we catch ourselves being silly without inhibition. When we smile so hard, it hurts. It’ll be because Amir showed us how. We’ll miss you so much, but we will never forget you.”
Dengler says Amir let joy radiate through every bit of his little body and he gave the very best hugs.
She shared video of the two in a hallway, and you can see Amir jump into her arms and give her a huge embrace.
"They were full, almost hurtful hugs because he’d squeeze so hard, but just the best" she smiled. "He certainly made every minute of his little life matter."
Click here to donate to the GoFundMe for Amir's family.
