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The Sight of 400 Students Singing Hymns For Their Teacher Battling Cancer Will Move You to Tears

The students took a bus to their teacher's home to sing hymns to him after getting to know about his condition when he finally had to retire.

BY SOMDATTA MAITY

PUBLISHED JUN 6, 2024

Teachers are known to shape the entire lives of hundreds of students throughout their careers, and the respect as well as credit for their success makes teaching one of the world's most rewarding professions. An emotional video shared by Tim McGraw on Facebook showed Ben Ellis looking at 400 of his students gathered in front of his house, to cheer him up since he has been fighting cancer and is seemingly at the end of his rope. For years, he had been guiding students as a teacher at Nashville's Christ Presbyterian Academy and was so attached to his job and pupils, that even through the rigorous course of chemotherapy, he continued with his work. On September 7, he finally decided to take a break after finding out that the cancer had spread. This is what alerted the colleagues and students about Ellis' condition prompting them all to travel by bus to his home and singing hymns.

Representative Image Source: Pexels | Vincent Peters

"It was a place where the veil between heaven and Earth felt very thin,'' Christ Presbyterian headmaster Nate Morrow told TODAY about the scene. "Ben said back to the students that he loved them and that they need to continue to love each other as well." Ellis was visibly moved by the gesture and stood by the window for a considerable time, which keeping his condition in mind was a huge task. At one point, he was also joined by his wife before appearing on GMA to express his gratitude to the students.

Ellis' association with the school goes back a long time since not only has he been teaching in the institution for 8 years, but his children are also students in the academy. The faculty is amazed to see the positive response to the video. "It's beautifully ironic that a man who has spent his life pursuing people so that they feel seen and known is now being seen and known for his story,'' Morrow said. "If Ben were on the phone with you, no one would be more excited that this gospel message is being shared."

The video of Ellis listening to the hymns from his window was taken by his family. Later on, it was shared on social media where it reached Tim McGraw, who shared the beautiful gesture on his Facebook page. In the caption he wrote, "A friend sent this to me today. Ben Ellis is a Nashville area high school teacher battling cancer. The entire student body (400+ students plus HS faculty) drove to his house to worship with him. Our thoughts and prayers are with him and his family..... So precious and kind."

People in the comment section loved the gesture and sent their prayers to Ellis. Jennifer Dixon Morgan was in awe of the fact that so many people came together for Ellis, "Amazing. I wish we would come together and treat one another like this! This shows such compassion, love, and support! I hope in some way we can all take a piece of this and give it to someone." Laurie Morales wrote that this gesture showed that the world still had good in it, "This is when you know there is still love and compassion in the world. Even in the new generation....prayers to him and family." The Tennessean reported that Ellis died 10 days after his students sang for him.