Iowa teacher dies 3 days after testing positive for COVID-19
The Belmond-Klemme Community School District is mourning the loss of a beloved teacher.
Jason Englert's family said he tested positive for coronavirus three days before he died.
"Jason was always such a pleasure to have because he had such a positive attitude, a lot of energy, and the rapport he had with students was remarkable," said Dan Frazier, superintendent of Belmond-Klemme.
Devastation and sadness are sweeping through the district after the 38-year-old teacher was found dead inside his home on Nov. 8.
“For the students, of course it was such a shock at first. Many of our students had trouble knowing how to register this,” Frazier said.
Wright County has been hit hard with the coronavirus. That’s why the Belmond-Klemme district did mass testing last week. Englert's family said that’s how he learned he was positive and eventually started to develop a slight headache.
Frazier coached volleyball alongside Englert. He said not only was Englert an exceptional coach, but also a brilliant teacher who taught students in the talented and gifted program.
“He was just a very energetic guy, and he always had a cheerful way of looking at things,” Frazier said. “It wasn’t unusual for me to ask him how it was going and he would say things like ‘living the dream.’”
The dream of teaching led Englert to a few school districts over his career. Family and colleagues said his impact on his students will be his lasting legacy.
“We continue to mourn for our loss and we pray for Jason’s family,” Frazier said.
Englert’s family said they don’t have an official cause of death yet, but they wonder if the virus spurred a heart attack or stroke.
