ALEXANDRIA, Va. ( DC News Now ) — Alexandrians are remembering a man who said a little, but meant a lot — a crossing guard who spent nearly two decades making sure kids got to and from school safely, who died earlier this month.
Richard Thomas, known affectionately as ‘Mr. Richard left a legacy by going above and beyond his job duties.
Parents and a student at John Adams Elementary School said Thomas’s smile and encouraging welcome were the perfect ways to start the day.
“When I found his picture there, [I was] almost crying. My daughter, she’s also very sad,” one parent said. That parent said she would remember “his smile.”
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Across the street from the school, several street signs have photos of Thomas with flowers taped and tied to the poles.
“He acknowledged every single child,” said Maisha Cooper, who has a daughter Arwen in fourth grade at the school. “Every morning he had his little phrases. He would say, ‘Good morning, how are you my friend, have a great day,’ no matter how busy it was.”