LOXLEY, Alabama (WKRG) “I love Mr. Hall! He was the best teacher ever. – Words of sympathy. “My heart is with you,” written by Mathis Elementary students for Josh Hall, 24, considered more of a friend than a teacher.

“They just loved him, they absolutely loved him,” says Shannon McCurdy, principal and former Hall teacher.

Hall’s life was cut short on Saturday morning when his Jeep rolled off Hwy 59 at Loxley, eventually crashing into a tree. He died of his injuries at a local hospital. McCurdy says there was something special about Josh. “I think what attracted people to him was that he was so fun, so easy going, so easy to talk to, and I’ve never seen Josh without a smile. He just brightened everyone’s day and everyone’s hearts.

A dozen white roses surround the tree where he lost his life. A happier time photo stuck in tree bark. For Hall, it was his work with his special education students that was his passion. “Best teacher in the world. So adorable, ”McCurdy said, reading another card.

His dedication to his students is reflected in their words which will be passed on to a family struggling with unimaginable loss. “I know they’re in shock,” McCurdy said. “I know the pain, the pain they must be feeling. It breaks our hearts, ”she said, fighting back tears.

Josh was working on his elementary education degree. Teaching is family-friendly – her mother Angie Hall is the principal of Fairhope Middle School and her older brother Phillip also works with special education children at Spanish Fort.

The cause of the accident remains under investigation.