A Blackstone Valley teacher battling ALS who was set to be fired just months before being eligible for retirement has died, his family says.
Dr. Phil LeMarbre was an AP Biology teacher at Blackstone Valley Technical High School for more than nine years. He was notified of his termination back in June over a school board decision just 103 days short of hitting eligibility for retirement.
When Boston 25 News Reporter Jacqui Heinrich spoke with his family last month, they told her that LeMarbre would be losing his life insurance, health insurance and pension because administrators say he failed to comply with requests from the school during an ongoing battle for more sick time. He used his sick time last year during treatment for prostate cancer.
After his story gripped the community, two state legislators took action on Beacon Hill, drafting a bill which would have granted Dr. Lemarbre credit to reach his retirement date, and keep his benefits. In his passing, his family isn’t just left with grief, but uncertainty. Bills in the tens of thousands are still coming in. But they’re holding on to what they do have - beautiful memories, each other, and the support of an entire community.
“For my dad it was awesome to be able or read those letters and the stories from the kids how he positively affected their lives, I know he was grateful for every one of those notes that he got,” daughter Joelle LeMarbre said.
LeMarbre’s daughter Joelle reached out to Jacqui Friday afternoon, telling her that he passed away Thursday.
“Tuesday night was really rough, and then Wednesday he slept for most of the day so that’s when we knew things were probably winding down for him,” daughter Allie Lavallee said.
She says the retirement bill is still on the docket to be discussed, but his family is unsure on what happens now.
“We don’t know what happens now for my mother or for that but I don’t know he was a great guy, were really going to miss him,” son Steve LeMarbre said.
The family has set up a GoFundMe to help cover medical expenses. Anything extra will be donated to ALS charities.
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