Hundreds come to honor the life of the Helene teacher who was killed

Elliston, Virginia – Eastern Montgomery High School was decked out in seas of green and fall foliage on Saturday, perfectly capturing Holly King’s love of the outdoors.

Holly had a deep affection for trees of all kinds. If Holly were a tree, love would be her root system. Her father, Richard “Bugsy” King, said of her, “She was deeply rooted in love.”

Living in Craig County, Holly King taught at Eastern Montgomery High School. Her students referred to her as “an adventure incarnate, a playful spirit radiating perpetual sunshine” and she was also a friend and family member.

She exuded happiness, was gregarious, and had an open attitude. Longtime pupil of King Rebecca Creed stated, “I swear there would never be a single moment without her singing up and down these halls.” “It was fantastic. It was really wonderful for me.

King went dead at her house on Friday, September 27, amid Hurricane Helene’s damage.

“I was astonished. I just didn’t want to accept it with my body because, as I put it, “I saw her on Thursday.” I find it hard to comprehend that I saw her just now.”

But as a dancer, explorer, and self-described “Princess Warrior,” King had special memories with a great number of individuals that everyone stated they would never forget.

At EMHS on Saturday, they paid tribute to King and shared those memories.

She was brave, kind, giving, and strong. That girl had courage,” Bugsy remarked.

Holly was a capable leader. From elementary school throughout her career, she was a peer mediator, according to her mother Susan King. “She had the ability to listen to people and assist them in resolving issues.”

When she had a moment or was bored, she would come to my place. A close acquaintance of King’s described her as someone who “just jumped right in, never knocked, never had anything important to say or do.” “That will be missed,”

She was available if you wanted someone to chat to. She was there if you needed a buddy or an embrace. You needed a teacher, and she is there to help you with assignments that aren’t even in your class,” Creed remarked.

When the festivities came to a conclusion, music and dancing filled the hallways. King created her own dance floor and her loved ones danced to “HOT TO GO!” by Chappell Roan.

King continues to assist her students even after her passing. The Holly King Memorial Scholarship Fund is being established by EMHS in her honor.