Very seldom does someone walk into a life, even  just for a little while, and be able to leave a lasting impression on so many people. Carlsbad High School alumni, former Pacific Rim and Aviara Oaks Middle School teacher Mr. Stefan Edgerly was one of those souls who was able to influence those around him. The young teacher left a difference in so many lives: affecting and inspiring so many young students, co-workers, family members and friends.

Mr. Edgerly recently lost his long, hard battle to colon cancer and a rare Signet Ring Cell Adenocarcinoma on Oct. 14, 2016.

“Mr. Edgerly cared deeply for his students and their success. He invested in students and made connections with them based on their interests,” Aviara Oaks Middle School Science teacher Mrs. Crawford said. “He wanted every one of his students to succeed and worked hard to engage students in meaningful work.”

Edgerly was a Carlsbad High School alumni; he participated in CHS’s baseball, football, and wrestling programs; and was voted “The Most Loyal Lancer” in his graduating class. He continued his education at California State University San Marcos and earned a Bachelor of Arts in Education and Teaching. Edgerly carried his love for the community by becoming a teacher in the Carlsbad School District.

“Mr. Edgerly was the first teacher that I felt 100% comfortable going to for anything. He was the teacher I could go and talk to when I was not having a great day, and he genuinely cared about my life and my future. Meeting someone as caring as him is rare, and I will never forget that,”said senior Sophie Mellissinos who was a student in Edergly’s class for third and eighth-grade.

In recent years, Edgerly moved to Aviara Oaks Middle School to teach eighth grade American history and English. He made new bonds with staff at AOMS and continued to teach students whom he had taught in elementary school who were now in middle school.

“He was one of the most positive and uplifting teachers at the AOMS campus. Mr. Edgerly always had a smile on his face and was ready to help in any way he could,” Mrs. Crawford said. “Every time he would see me carrying science supplies back and forth he would stop everything he was doing and help me carry them.”

Edgerly became very involved in the Aviara Oaks program Where Everybody Matters (WEB), a sixth grade transition program with a primary goal for eighth graders to help sixth graders to make a smooth transition. Edgerly was also the President of the Carlsbad Friends of the Arts Fine Arts Club.

“He made his classroom a fun and encouraging place to be. Mr. Edgerly’s desire for students to feel connected went beyond his classroom as he was very involved with WEB,”Crawford said. “With the help of Mr. Edgerly, WEB was a huge success.”

As Edgerly’s disease progressively worsened, a strong support system surrounded him at all times. Although the community was devastated, his status updates on posthope.org allowed everyone to view his progress and were able to be notified of the positive moments and his passing. His page received 31,960 visits, 141 guest posts, 256 comments, and 23 journal entry updates.

After his passing, the Stefan Edgerly Memorial Scholarship was set up in hopes to help students financially achieve their dreams after high school.

“I miss everything about him; his different ties he would wear every day, his snack he hid behind his desk that I would secretly steal, his sense of humor, and just his overall awesome personality,” Mellissinos said.