By: Sharon Aron Baron
Three coaches from Marjory Stoneman Douglas were honored posthumously for their heroism after dying shielding their students from gunfire.
On Wednesday evening at the ESPY Awards on ESPN, family members of Aaron Feis, Scott Beigel and Chris Hixon received the awards for their acts of heroism.
Friends and supporters gathered at Duffys in Coconut Creek to watch the show live. Included were Parkland Mayor Christine Hunschofsky and commissioners Ken Cutler, Bob Mayersohn and Grace Solomon. Also, attending was School Board Chair Nora Rupert and candidate for school board district 4, Lori Alhadeff.
The event, open to the public on Facebook, was hosted by MSD Alumni member Ariadna Camilo, however, no photography was allowed according to her.
Beigel, 35, was a geography teacher and the school’s cross country coach, Feis, 37, was an assistant coach and security guard and Hixon, 49, was the athletic director and wrestling coach at the Parkland school.
The men are being honored for “their immeasurable bravery in the face of danger and for their ultimate sacrifice to protect the lives of countless students,” said Alison Overholt, vice president and editor in chief of ESPN The Magazine.