Beloved Newport Beach 5th grade teacher with serious illness receives big show of support
A beloved Newport Beach teacher was learning just how much the school, students and parents care about her and believe she's so special after she announced she would not be finishing the school year due to a serious illness.
Whether she's face first in a mound of whipped cream or passing out her own books to encourage Newport Beach students to read, teacher Elle Smith is a Mariners Elementary School legend.
"Every family that has had her just idolizes her. They just can't believe all the work that she puts in each day. She's the last one her every day. I sometimes walk by, I'm like, 'Okay, you need to leave. Go home,'" said fellow Mariners Elementary School teacher Michele Jacobs.
Within the last few weeks, the fifth grade teacher let her students, parents and colleagues know that she wouldn't be finishing the school year due to serious illness.
The news hit mom Danielle Heidenreich hard.
"She always made herself available for everyone, for all the kids. They were her priority undoubtedly. No child ever felt like they weren't important. It makes me emotional," she said.
Now, the Mariner Marlins family has come together and setup a fundraiser for Smith. So far, $16,000 of a $25,000 goal has been met. The money is being used to send the educator and her husband on a dream vacation to the tropics.
"That's what I've always loved about Elle, too, is that she will everything that she possibly can for her students, and I think it honestly means the world to both of them that the community is now helping them," said Mariners Elementary School Principal Matt Broesamle.
As all the funds are raised, a parent from Mariners who is a travel agent will book the tropical vacation, with the goal being that the trip would take place in August, between Smith's treatments.
