Tillman teacher leaves a mighty legacy

No man stands so tall as when he stoops to help a child.
The words are Abraham Lincoln’s. They also comprise a Chinese proverb and are attributed to the Knights of Pythagoras, as well.
Calvin Esaw lived by them.
The Tillman Elementary School teacher stood tall, indeed, to children who knew him, connected with him and loved him.
After 20 years in the classroom, that’s a lot of kids.
Sadly, a lot of breaking hearts, too.
Esaw drowned last Monday.
The 54-year-old father of three sons was fishing, something he truly loved, near Sarasota’s Ringling Causeway.
It was President’s Day, a day off from school.
How tragic.

Read more Sunday in Mannix About Manatee on Bradenton.com.