PLYMOUTH -- A teacher fighting cancer got a surprise when students at Riverview Middle School showed up at his front door Friday afternoon.
"Mr. Petrie is a fifth-grade teacher here at Riverview and he's not only an amazing teacher but also an amazing person in the community," said principal Todd Hunt.
"He's just truly an inspiration, he's always positive. He always looks for the good in everyone," said assistant principal Tracy Mueller.
Earlier this year, Jeff Petrie was diagnosed with lymphoma and has been too ill to return to the classroom. Homecoming just wouldn't be the same without the baseball coach and social studies teacher, so the school decided to take homecoming to him.
A sea of students, many wearing lime green to support people battling cancer, poured into Mr. Petrie's front lawn while he sat basking in the sun.
He was left speechless.
"If my legacy ends tomorrow, today I know that these kids have put this forward and they'll remember this for their lifetime," he said.
His students don't want him to lose hope.
"I feel really happy for him because everybody can come see him and visit him, even though he is not a teacher (or) going to be teaching with us anymore because he's sick and ill," Tara Gilbertson said. "We just want to give him some encouragement and help make sure he fights through this.
This isn't the first time students have shown their support, they've been going by the house, dropping off meals and students have donated $30,000 to his family.
