Students Hold Fundraiser For Teacher Who Survived House Explosion
FIRESTONE, Colo. (CBS4) - Hundreds of students at Mountain Range High School came together after school Friday to raise money for Erin Martinez, a physics and chemistry teacher who survived a deadly explosion at her Firestone home last week.
Students say class hasn't been the same since Mrs. Martinez has been gone.
"We were just really confused and concerned," said Amarah Duran Pinedo, a junior at the school, and student of Mrs. Martinez. "It was just really shocking, and we didn't have any answers to the questions that we wanted to ask."
The fundraiser was initially planned to raise money for special needs students.
"As we got the news about Mrs. Martinez, we all felt impacted by it, so we decided to also turn the profits to her as well."
Students say her absence can be felt around campus.
"It's definitely different, and not a good kind of different," said Dakota Ramirez, also a student of Mrs. Martinez. "I feel like we're all a little lost."
Martinez is in critical condition, but stable.
Her husband, Mark, and her brother, Joseph Irwin, were killed in the explosion.
Andrea Flores is a reporter for CBS4. Follow her on Facebook and Twitter @AndreaFloresTV.