Dave Sanders

My hero is Dave Sanders. He was truly an amazing man who died saving many students during the tragic Columbine massacre. Sanders was born on October 22, 1951, into a wonderful family. He was hired by Columbine’s first principal, Gerry Difford, in 1974, a year after the school was founded. “He was just a kid from Nebraska back then... He was always willing to take anything on. He didn’t try to be the head coach of things necessarily, or be spectacular. He just loved to work with the kids,” remarked Difford. Sanders was a well-respected and loved member of the Columbine community. Not only was he a coach for girl’s Varsity Basketball and Softball at Columbine, but he was also a computer and business teacher at Columbine for 25 years. Most, if not all, of the students loved him deeply. “He believed in me when I didn’t believe in me. For any player, he would do anything. He was intimidating enough to make you want to improve but he didn’t have the heart to yell at anyone,” commented Kerri Held, a former basketball and softball player at Columbine High School. “He was not just concerned with the players and students, but individually he cared to know how things were going with your personal life and future,” Held continued (“Columbine Shooting Victim: Dave Sanders.” The Denver Post, The Denver Post). He was quite clearly loved by all. 

Columbine High Schoolhttps://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/66/Columbine_library_fbi_diagram.jpgOn April 20, 1999 at 11:20 A.M. Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold began shooting at students sitting outside during their lunch. Dave Sanders heard the shots and ran into the cafeteria, which had a little over 500 people in it, and with the help of two of the school’s janitors, got almost everyone out and into classrooms before the boys could reach the cafeteria. Sanders continued to run around the school, attempting to make sure that all students were safe. However, when he arrived upstairs he was seen and shot once in the back and once in the neck and left to die. Two teachers saw him and helped him into a nearby science lab where there were students hiding. He bled out and died three hours later, still in the school. His last words were reportedly, “Tell my family I love them.” 

Columbine High Schoolhttps://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/66/Columbine_library_fbi_diagram.jpgSanders' wife said, “He didn’t like to be in the spotlight. I don’t think he even realized that he was becoming a hero when he did what he did because he loved all of his students just the same” (“Annual Softball Tourney Still Thrives 18 Years Tragic Events at Columbine.” CHSAANow.com). Even before his tragic death, Sanders was a selfless person and did everything for others, and not to receive praise. Sanders impacted more than just the students of Columbine; even growing up he loved everyone and was everyone's best friend. “There’s always that one student in every school that everybody likes and he liked everybody,” Greg Lighty said. Lightly called Sanders his best friend: “The only problem with that description is, everybody else said the same thing and that’s great. He was one of a kind. Always had a smile on his face, always thinking about other people, always putting other people in front of himself,” Lighty said (“Remembering Indiana Native Dave Sanders 20 Years after Columbine.” WISHTV.com). And his impact is still showing more than 20 years later. There is a softball field named after him, his name is on the basketball court at Columbine, and there is even a scholarship in his honor that is used to help students achieve their dream of being a teacher themselves. Dave Sanders is a hero by any respect. He knowingly risked and gave his life to save as many lives as he could. “It was a perfect example of who Dave was, putting others before himself and risking his own life and the ultimate sacrifice for his students,” Lighty continued (Criscuolo, Nina. “Remembering Indiana Native Dave Sanders"). It has been said multiple times that he was the type of person who wouldn’t have even thought about himself in this situation, he would only be thinking about the lives of the students and do everything in his power to save as many of them as he could. He was selfless, empathetic, and composed. All three of which are incredibly difficult to maintain in such a terrifying situation.