GEORGETOWN, Texas — A passionate Texas A&M Aggie, avid outdoorsman and cherished world history teacher at Forbes Middle School in Georgetown, retired teacher Todd Greenberg has left an impact on former students like Baylus Tackett.
"I think if I had to name one teacher from my whole life growing up, he'd probably be top of the list," Tackett said.
After retiring from teaching, Greenberg's sister, Shelly Caramanian, said her brother spent his time exploring the country, inheriting his sense of adventure from their father, who was a scoutmaster.
"Every chance he gets, he hits the road and explores. And he's always had dogs. And he had his two adventure dogs, Otter and Ranger with him," Caramanian said. "And so, he spent the summer, this summer in [the] Pitkin, Colorado, area up on Cumberland Pass."
Greenberg was leading a life that Tackett says he and his had friends dreamed of.
"My friends would keep up with his, you know, just life with all the pictures he'd post and just his whereabouts and just kind of be envious of ... the life he was living," Tackett said.
But that adventure resulted in tragedy. As Greenberg was preparing to return to Texas after camping in Colorado, at around 4 a.m. on Sept. 1, his camper caught fire.
"It completely destroyed his pickup truck and the camper that he was in in the back. And his two dogs did not make it out," Caramanian said. "He was burned over 45% of his body."
Caramanian said her brother is in the intensive care burn unit in Denver, and she expects him to remain there for at least a couple more weeks.
"It was crushing. Both of our parents died three years ago at the beginning of COVID, and he's my only sibling," Caramanian said.
To help Greenberg rebuild, the community has begun fundraising to help cover his medical expenses and replace his lost possessions.
"He gave himself all the time, in teaching, and he adopted a child by himself," Caramanian said.
Caramanian sees it as a way to return the same generosity Greenberg has shown to the people he cared for.
"It's just heartwarming that he has so many people behind him and praying for him and rooting for him," Caramanian said.
Caramanian hopes her brother will be home by Thanksgiving. Anyone interested in participating in the fundraiser can do so by visiting this link.