I don't know where some of you went to school, but in the off chance that any of you might've had, at any time, this teacher as an instructor in your life, and don't know her story - I'll share.

Mindy Bryant Lanoux was a glorious English teacher when I met her at Floresville High School. I had her for class one year. She was very young, only ten years my senior, but was clever and quick as a whip. Always peppy, she was more a cheerleader than an English teacher ;)

Time goes on, people move on, she went to teach in San Antonio and I lost touch. I found her again via the most sad thing possible: a Caringbridge journal where she shared her updates on the cancer that was going to kill her. A stage 4 metastatic melanoma left masses in her lungs and liver, and later all throughout. She was only 34 at the time of her diagnosis, and she fought like hell even though she was given a low survival rate at that time. She was a pioneer in many studies involving new radical cancer treatments, and she still tutored on the side to devote time to her passion for teaching today's youth, in spite of her pain and weakness.

The cancer claimed her life on September 1st. She was 37 years old. She left behind three kids, the youngest only 3 years old, a devoted, heartbroken husband, and many MANY students who will forever remember her light in the classroom.

Goodbye Mrs. Lanoux, I am thankful to have know you for as briefly as I did.