Kansas teacher dies after he is found unresponsive in classroom. ‘This was a tragedy’

A psychology teacher in Topeka, Kansas has died after he was found unresponsive in a school classroom, according to local reports.

“Life saving measures” were performed on 40-year-old teacher John Keller after he was found shortly before 8 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 23, WIBW reported.

“Grabbing the AED from the office and giving it to the nurse this morning was a scary way to start the day,” band director Jennifer Antonetti shared on Facebook. An AED, or automated external defibrillator, can deliver a shock to the heart to restore rhythm.

Keller was then pronounced dead at a local hospital, according to the Topeka Capital-Journal.

“It is with tremendous sadness that I share that one of our Topeka High staff members, John Keller, a psychology teacher, passed away today,” Superintendent of Topeka Public Schools Tiffany Anderson said in a statement to parents, according to KSNT. “We are all deeply impacted by his passing and are respecting the wishes of his family for privacy.”

The teacher was married and a dad to three children, KSNT reported.

“He was a really great teacher, and this was a tragedy,” Antonetti wrote on Facebook. “ ... Please show your love to people around you every day because anyone’s life and situation can change in an instant.”

The school district has not immediately responded to a request for comment from McClatchy News.