Students, School Team Up To Support Teacher Hurt In Japan While Skiing

DENVER (CBS4)- A Denver school community is banding together to try to help one of their teachers who is in a hospital half a world away. Curtis Huey is in a hospital in Japan recovering from injuries he suffered while skiing.

"It was obviously a scary phone call to get," said Letia Frandina, the Executive Director of the Downtown Denver Expeditionary Schools. "The injuries are serious, we do expect him to make a full recovery but these first 48 hours are really serious."

Expeditionary Learning combines classroom learning with outdoor experiences. The adventure specialist at DDES is Huey.

"He's important because he comes out here and he takes us on field trips, camping, snowshoeing which is really important to us and our community," said Coleman, a fifth grader.

"We just hope he's better," said Bella, a fourth grader.

Huey broke a rib and punctured a lung, among several other injuries. He's been alone for two days but his parents are still trying to make it to his hospital.

The DDES community wanted to help, so they started a GoFundMe campaign.

"I sleep at night when my kids go on an adventure with Curtis because I know he's going to have everything thought of," said Marissa Walters, a mom of two DDES students. "I would hope we can give him some piece of mind that when he comes home he can either replenish his savings or he has some money to fall back on."

Huey told Frandina he hopes to be home and back on his feet in three weeks to take kids snowshoeing in Estes Park. The kids are just excited for him to get home safely.

"I'm just going to be like, 'How are you doing? Are you okay? Is there anything I can do this trip so you don't have to do a lot?'" said Coleman.