RIVERHEAD, N.Y. (WCBS 880) — A beloved kindergarten teacher in Long Island, New York, who inspired one student to build a portable “hugging machine” amid the pandemic, died Tuesday.
According to the Riverhead Central School District, Aquebogue Elementary School teacher Keri Lynn Stromski died after a battle with stage 4 breast cancer.
Laura Stimpfel, a longtime friend of Stromski, told News12 she was heartbroken over the loss.
“She had a beautiful soul that always welcomed you in,” she told the outlet. “She was all about her family, all about her town. She loved the kids. Everything she did was for kids and mostly for our kids.”
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Riverhead Central School District’s interim superintendent Christine Tona released a statement to Newsday this week saying Stromski will be deeply missed by everyone in the community.
“She was incredibly dedicated to her family, her students, the Riverhead Central School District, and the Riverhead community and will be greatly missed. We can all learn from Keri’s example of strength during the most difficult of circumstances,” the statement read.
Stromski made news last month when her student, 5-year-old Avery Green, invented a “hugging machine” so that he could safely embrace his teacher during the pandemic, as she battled cancer.
Video of their embrace went viral and Stromski called the invention – which is made of a clothing rack, shower curtain and garbage bags – “the sweetest thing.”
Stromski is survived by her husband and three children.
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