ELKHART — The Elkhart Central special education teacher who died in a car crash Tuesday afternoon was a man who always had a smile on his face and really cared for the kids with whom he worked, according to Central Principal Frank Serge.

Michael Failor, 60, of Fort Wayne was in his second year of teaching at Central, working with emotionally handicapped students, Serge said.

Serge found out about Failor’s death around 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, he said. “I had just talked to him about 4 o’clock after school,” Serge said. After hearing the news, “I was shocked.”

According to the Elkhart County Sheriff’s Department, Failor was driving a vehicle heading south on C.R. 15, while Joseph Martin, 34, of South Bend was driving a vehicle going west on C.R. 32. A witness told police that Failor had stopped at the stop sign at C.R. 32 and then proceeded into the intersection, where the two vehicles collided a little before 5 p.m. Martin told police he could not stop in time.

Serge said he announced Failor’s death to Central staff and students over the school’s television system at 8:05 a.m., followed by a moment of silence in Failor’s honor.

Failor was “very friendly, very helpful,” Serge said. He “related very well to the kids, helped a number of kids through a number of issues, personal issues they were having at home.”

Failor lived in Fort Wayne but commuted “through all kinds of weather” to get to Elkhart, Serge said. He had worked in several schools before Elkhart Central, including Marion High School and schools in Fort Wayne, but had told Serge he really felt comfortable and enjoyed working at Central, Serge said.

“He’s just an individual that cared a lot about kids and people,” Serge continued. “He’s just one of those really positive people.”

Serge said that the school is offering counseling to students and staff, and that another special education teacher is working with Failor’s students, who Serge said are very emotional right now.

“It’s just never a good thing,” Serge said. “People don’t really understand how fragile life really is.”

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