A beloved 25-year-old teacher and coach died suddenly, just months after marrying his high school sweetheart, loved ones said.

“We are all heartbroken,” the North Carolina teacher’s widow, Haley Vaughan, told WGHP. “But I know I can’t get through this alone.”

She was married to Nathan “Harrison” Vaughan for nine months before tragedy struck Feb. 20. Her husband died days after being diagnosed with the flu, leaving those who knew him in shock, Richard Hardee, the head of Calvary Day School in Winston-Salem, told McClatchy News in a phone interview.

“He’s young, he’s active, he’s in good shape, great shape and it’s just hard to imagine that he could decline so quickly,” Hardee told WFMY.

Harrison Vaughan was a 2018 graduate of Calvary Day School and couldn’t wait to work on the private Christian institution’s campus, loved ones wrote in an obituary on the Hayworth-Miller Funeral Homes & Crematory website.

“One of his dreams was to come back and to teach and coach here at Calvary Day School, and he accomplished that a little bit earlier than he thought he would,” Hardee told McClatchy News.

Harrison Vaughan — known for being a “vibrant part of school life” — was a physical education teacher and head varsity baseball coach. He also is remembered as a loving husband and dedicated educator.

“Harrison is a gift and so loved by his family, friends, and all who had the privilege of knowing him,” his obituary said. “He makes the days brighter with his presence, his love for others, his servant heart, and love for God.”

The school also shared a tribute to the late teacher on Facebook, and dozens of social media users weighed in to express their condolences. The school said it’s considering other ways to honor his memory.

“His impact does not end today, but his impact will continue for years and years to come in the lives of those students that he touched and of course within his friends and family,” Hardee told McClatchy News.


Very Sad, just wanted to make sure you saw this article. Pax