PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — It's been nearly two months since a beloved teacher in Port St. Lucie was killed by her estranged husband, according to police, before he turned the gun on himself.
Jamie Felix was a teacher at Manatee Academy K-8.
Wednesday night, the community pulled together to support the two children, ages 10 and 17, who lost both their mother and father in the murder-suicide.
The boys, according to those close to the family, are staying with two different families and doing their best to give them love and care.
Fred and Amy Longar who spoke to WPTV on Wednesday say they are now the guardians of Jamie's youngest son.
"Right after this happened we were talking, I'll take them both if I have to, it's something that Jamie wanted," said Fred. "To do this for her, it's amazing."
The school's principal, Kerri Walukiewicz, along with teachers like ESE specialist Casie Rosado, has been helping spearhead a fundraiser for the Felix boys through the Vanduzer Foundation at Big Apple Pizza in Fort Pierce, collecting raffle and silent auction items from generous community donations.
Port St Lucie
Teacher killed in murder-suicide remembered as 'brilliant'
One son is still in elementary school. The other is in high school, going into his senior year and gearing up to possibly go to college. Both boys love sports, especially basketball.
"We want to make sure they have the opportunity to continue their sports and all the things they love, and make sure their school needs are being met, and anything beyond that as well,” Rosado said.
Walukiewicz said Jamie was like the "school mom" whom all the students could turn to for advice and guidance.
She wants to make sure Jamie's own children feel the same support their mom offered to so many kids over the years.
"We do know that, for the boys, this was life-changing. And we’re not going to be able through a fundraiser to fix all of that. But how can we lessen the burden? How can we let them know they’re supported and will always be supported?" Walukiewicz said.
This is also a pay-it-forward moment for the principal who battled cancer almost 10 years ago. She said The Vanduzer Foundation also hosted a fundraiser for her, which helped her pay for lengthy stays out of town and make sure bills were covered.
The fundraiser ran from 4-10 p.m., and all food and drink proceeds of the night will be going to the boys, as well as proceeds from silent auction and raffle items.
