Students and teachers held hands and wept as they remembered Dellwood Middle School’s “hero” deputy principal Ray Smith who died earlier this week aged only 49.

Tissues were passed around the gym hall as the school gathered to hold its own memorial service in honour of the late Mr. Smith where teachers and students spoke of their favourite moments with the deputy principal before he passed away after suffering an illness.

On one wall of the gym under a banner that read “Our Hero Ray Smith” were pinned children’s messages to Mr. Smith and what he had meant to them.

The eldest brother of Bermuda national cricket team captain Clay Smith and former national player Wendall Smith, he was himself a keen sportsman making a name for himself as an amateur boxer.

Bermuda’s sporting community has been paying tribute to Mr. Smith since hearing news of his passing.

Yesterday it was the turn of his teaching colleagues and the many students who knew him as their deputy headteacher to remember what he meant to them and the impact he had on their lives.

Teachers and students gave hugs to one another as they were overcome with emotions.

Most will face the same feelings as the school closes at noon today to allow teachers, staff and students to attend the funeral service of Mr. Smith at St. Paul’s AME Church at 2 p.m. before a burial at Richard Allen AME Church cemetery.

“From east to west Mr. Smith was the best. His love for Dellwood students will permeate our halls for generations to come.

“His spirit for the school is exemplified in our school spirit song From the East to the West. Mr. Smith can be dubbed as Mr. Dellwood a man with a vision for excellence,” said school staff in a statement.

For the past three years Mr. Smith was deputy principal, having joined the school two years earlier as a language arts teacher.

Before that he spent nine years as a teacher at West Pembroke Primary School.

Dellwood principal Janette Musson said her colleagues and students were “deeply saddened by the school’s loss”.