Teacher Adam Wood remembered as bright, caring mentor
'If we can strive to be someone like him, the world's a better place'
Friends in Thunder Bay, Ont. are remembering Adam Wood, the 35-year-old teacher who was killed in La Loche Saskatchewan on Friday, for his humour, his enthusiasm and his genuine desire to make the world a better place.
He was just months into a teaching job at the La Loche Community School, when he and a teacher's aide were gunned down in a mass shooting. Seven others were injured at the school, and two brothers were killed at a separate location.
Wood graduated from the outdoor recreation, parks and tourism/concurrent education program at Lakehead University in Thunder Bay and also spent two summers working with the non-profit group, Roots to Harvest, a community gardening initiative which provides many teenagers and young people with their first job.
"He affected individuals," Beagle said. "Those kids that he worked with were absolutely impacted and he has a legacy with them."
"Adam would have, to his end, been concerned about the people around him."
While living in Thunder Bay, Wood also attended Grassroots Church, where part of Sunday's service was dedicated to remembering him.
Members of the church shared memories of Wood as a giving person, and a mentor.
"They'd never see him be unkind or impatient," said Scott Wiebe, a volunteer member of the board at the church.
Grassroots Church has started a book of condolences for Wood's family.
On Thursday night at 7 p.m. the organization Roots to Harvest will remember Wood at their garden on Algoma Street, where Erin Beagle said she can still picture him.
"I'll remember him being outside. I'll remember him with his hat on, and his bandanna ... in the garden, working hard."