Georgia teacher Tammy Waddell was just 58 when she succumbed to colon cancer on June 9 of this year.

But her lifelong battle for children’s learning has carried on, due to a wish she made weeks before she passed away.

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Instead of flowers, the educator requested something else that would bloom a lot longer in the hearts of those she cared very much about: backpacks filled with school supplies.

Waddell, a Forsyth County Schools elementary “Teacher of the Year” in 2003, left behind a legacy of learning with her selfless act.

Dr. Brad Johnson, a bereaved cousin, captured the memorable scene at McDonald & Son Funeral Home and Crematory:

“My cousin’s final request at her funeral was backpacks full of supplies for needy students instead of flowers,” Johnson said on Twitter. “[She was] a teacher to the end.”

“She had about 100 teachers as honorary pallbearers who carried the backpacks out and back to their schools,” he added. “It was heartwarming.”

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Dr. Johnson told LifeZette why he believes Waddell’s final wishes were so inspirational for people.

“I think this resonated because the picture of the backpacks in the chapel was a powerful representation of humanity and legacy,” he said. “One person wrote the chapel of backpacks looked like a Garden of Hope.”

He also noted why Ms. Waddell requested what she did.

“Many teachers often have to spend money out of their own pockets for supplies,” Johnson said. “Teachers always go above and beyond, and her final act of selflessness reflects the heart of a teacher.”

The donations are going to Project Connect, an annual event at which teachers in the school district deliver backpacks and school supplies door to door.

Kyle Becker is a content writer and producer with LifeZette. Follow him on Twitter. 

(photo credit, homepage and article images: Courtesy of Dr. Brad Johnson, Twitter)