Outpouring of love from students of Northern Colorado teacher killed in Highway 85 crash helps husband cope

It's been a little more than a week since Christopher Schwartz found out that his wife was tragically killed in a car crash in Weld County. Christine Schwarz, a Colorado middle school teacher, died in a head-on collision with a stolen car going the wrong way on Highway 85 near Platteville. Deputies were trying to catch up with that stolen car.

While investigators continue to look into what led up to that crash, Schwartz is speaking about the legacy his wife has left behind.

"It's been hard. I keep expecting her to walk through the door. Reality is starting to set in. I don't know what I'm going to do without her. She was the family glue," Christopher said.

He said he and his wife began their relationship over a quarter century ago.

"It took a while to work on her, to get her to go on a date with me, but she finally did," Christopher said.

The duo locked eyes and never looked back.

"She's a big marshmallow on the inside, once you get to know her, she was always outgoing. She always was smiling," he said.

And as their love grew, Christopher came to learn that others loved the 57 year old, too: lots and lots of students at North Valley Middle School in LaSalle where she taught.

"She was always there for the students to talk to. Lot of times, they'd come in and spend lunch with her because they just they had problems they wanted to discuss and she would, you know, help them with those problems that maybe they couldn't ask their parents about," he said.

Christopher loved the emojis Christine would text and her cooking, especially her Christmas sugar cookies. They loved time exploring Colorado with rides to Rocky Mount National Park on their Harley Davidson motorcycle.

"Lots of memories. We rode a lot," he said.

Christopher says he will never be able to fill the void left in his heart, but the outpouring of love from Christine's students have helped him get through this tragedy.

"It was pretty amazing. She's a beautiful person," he said.

School was canceled in the days after the crash, and when students came back to class this week many have been wearing purple, her favorite color, in support. They also created a more a memorial right outside her classroom door

Christopher said he will be taking part in an informal gathering to remember Christine in Weld County on Friday.