Former Students Send Beloved Teacher to World Series to Root for the Cleveland Indians
"I feel completely overwhelmed," Richard Gage, 58, told ABC News.
— -- To show their appreciation, graduates of an Ohio high school rallied to get their former teacher, a lifelong Cleveland Indians fan, to the World Series.
Tonight, Richard Gage, who teaches English at Struthers High School, in Struthers, Ohio, will be attending game 2 of the championship, thanks to the many students he influenced over the years.
"I feel completely overwhelmed," Gage, 58, told ABC News. "I never thought in a million years that anyone was going to do anything like that for me. What I do [teaching], I don't do it to get anything in return."
Gage has been teaching at Struthers for 26 years.
Students like Josh Miely, 36, a 1998 graduate of the high school, remembers Gage for his kindness and love for the Cleveland Indians baseball team.
On Oct. 19, Miely created a GoFundMe account to get Gage to the World Series.
"He's always been an inspiration to all of his students dating all the way back to when I was in school," Miely told ABC News. "I go back home for the holidays and we get breakfast every year. We talk about drama club, what's going on with his family and all that. It seemed like the right thing to do."
Miely set a goal for $2,350 and shared the campaign on Facebook with more of Gage's former students. Within days, the amount was exceeded by $200.
"He's over-the-moon excited to go see his team and even more-so because it's a true moment for a teacher to see how much everyone cares for him," Miely said.
Gage said his son Daniel will be joining him for the game tonight in an upper level, behind home plate.
The leftover funds will be used for parking, souvenirs and concessions, Miely said.