Teacher who taught students kindness in viral video dies from COVID-19

EL PASO, Texas (KFOX) —A teacher from El Paso, Texas who was recognized for showing her students how to be kind to one another has died from COVID-19.

Zelene Blancas, a teacher at Dr. Sue Shook Elementary School in far east El Paso, died on Sunday, a Socorro Independent School District official confirmed.

She had been receiving treatment for the coronavirus in the intensive care unit the last seven weeks, according to Blancas' obituary.

A video tweeted in 2018 showed Blancas lining up her first-grade students for high-fives, hugs, handshakes and fist pumps.

The act of kindness went viral.

School district officials said Blancas had not been on campus.

They said she had been instructing her students remotely. Blancas was 35 years old, according to her obituary.

Counselors have been made available to staff and students who may need help coping with Blancas' death, said a school official said.

Blancas was a member of Pinksocks Life, an organization that aims to spread kindness.

"Zelene Blancas was the best of humanity. 1st grade teacher at Dr. Sue A. Shook Elementary School in El Paso. The ripple effect of love and kindness that she put out into the universe through teaching her kids through the years is immeasurable: Pinksocks Life said in a statement.

"Ms. Blancas and the entire staff and students at Shook are what we should all strive for each and every day, each and every now. She lives on in the love that she taught and spread. I am grateful for her. We all are.