Some 400 high school students from Nashville came together and agreed to skip classes at the Christ Presbyterian Academy (CPA) on Sept. 7 to visit one of their teachers at home. Ben Ellis, who has taught Latin and Bible at the said school since 2008, has been battling cancer and has been going to chemotherapy. But recent news from his doctors seemed to have dashed hopes. His students thought that they should show their support because Ellis has never wavered in showing his, even if his cancer turned aggressive.
ABC reports that CPA students from the ninth to twelfth grade, together with some 30 teachers, visited Ellis in his home, where they did something heart-touching. The kids stood outside their teacher's house and serenaded him with a Gospel song. The moment was captured in video and was shared on country superstar Tim McGraw's Facebook, which has been receiving nearly 30 million views.
Co-teachers at the CPA attest that Ben Ellis remained in touch with the school community even as he's been battling cancer. All of his children are CPA students, which is why the family is well-oriented with everyone in the school.
When his story went viral online, the school administration also released a statement in support of the kids' gesture and Ben Ellis. "The decision to go to his house and sing was not planned," the statement read, via WSMV. "Ben and his family had received some hard news the night before and our students and faculty wanted to express their love for someone who has significantly changed their lives."
Ellis told the press later on that he's grateful for the unexpected visit. "In that moment, I felt like I was not alone," the teacher said. School headmaster Nate Morrow also said that it had been an honor to witness how the students showed that they cared for their teacher. Watch more about the students' visit in the video below.
