BARTOW COUNTY, Ga. — The Bartow County school community is mourning the loss of one of its students days before the start of the new school year.
Hector Arostegui Rodriguez was a student at Red Top Middle School and was going to start at Cass High School when school starts back on Wednesday, Aug. 6.
[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]
The school district says Rodriguez would start every day greeting “everyone with a fist bump and a pat on the shoulder.”
“Supporting others was important to Hector and I believed it to be the highlight of his school day,” said Ms. Vicky Neal, Hector’s Exceptional Education teacher. “He was truly an angel in disguise, and I know that my life was made better the day Hector became my student.”
TRENDING STORIES:
- 12 teens found living in church basement; fire marshal says it violated county codes
- 2 players win $1M prizes with Georgia Lottery scratch-offs
- Family realizes iPad stolen after Delta flight, finds thief’s explicit photos on the iCloud
Neal says she considers Rodriguez one of her biggest success stories, saying he worked hard to “exceed the limitations that were placed on him.”
“Because of Hector, we are reminded that angels walk among us, sit next to us, watch us in the community, and even reside in our homes,” said Ms. Neal.
[SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
©2025 Cox Media Group
