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Chris Hixon was remembered as a loving father and husband, a veteran who was twice deployed to the Persian Gulf, a wrestling coach and athletic director and who worked tirelessly for his athletes and ultimately, as a hero who died trying to save students. And family and friends gathered Wednesday to honor Stoneman Douglas senior Nicholas Dworet a week after he was killed by a gunman at school. Dworet, 17, was an accomplished swimmer and captain of the school’s team.
HOLLYWOOD — Chris Hixon was remembered as a loving father and husband, a veteran who was twice deployed to the Persian Gulf, an athletic director and wrestling coach who worked tirelessly for his athletes, and ultimately, as a hero who died trying to save students at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.
It was at the Parkland school on Feb. 14 that a gunman opened fire, killing Hixon and 16 others. Another 16 people were injured in the shooting.
On Wednesday morning, hundreds of Douglas students — many wearing the maroon, silver and white jerseys of their respective sports teams — joined Hixon’s family and members of the Broward County schools community, filling every corner of Nativity Catholic Church in Hollywood for a 75-minute funeral Mass that preceded Hixon’s burial at South Florida National Cemetery in Lake Worth.
“Just as we pray for Chris’ soul and his family, we pray for you,” the Rev. David Zirilli told the young mourners at Hixon’s funeral, before turning his attention to Hixon’s family, specifically, his son, Corey. “All of the people you see, we’re here because of you. We want you to know we are with you. You should be very proud of your dad. You were so lucky to have him. … When his students were in trouble, he didn’t run away. He wanted to protect those children. And he did.”
Hixon’s kind heart and willingness to put others before him were common themes during the Mass celebrating his life. The service was attended by Gov. Rick Scott, Archbishop Thomas Wenski, Hollywood mayor Josh Levy and Dania Beach mayor Tamara James, a former basketball player at South Broward, where Hixon, 49, served as athletic director before joining the staff at Douglas.
Hixon, who was also remembered as an avid NASCAR fan and was set to celebrate his 50th birthday on Sunday, also previously served as the athletic director at Blanche Ely High. On Wednesday, staffers from the three schools where he worked and members of multiple branches of the military — most notably the Navy, in which Hixon served for 27 years — joined the Hixon family and the Douglas students and staffers in remembering the athletic director.
“We’re all a little bit better for having known Chris,” said Frank Valliere, who worked with Hixon at South Broward and spoke at Wednesday’s Mass. “He’d give you the shirt off his back. He was there, always, whenever there was a need. … He cared for all around him as if they were his own. … And he inspired his students to become coaches, teachers and to serve in the military. … When we heard [what happened at Douglas], we knew he’d be in the middle of the action.”
Then, Valliere addressed the Douglas students, acknowledging many of them have classmates currently in Tallahassee urging state legislators to reform Florida’s gun laws.
“I am heartened by the student movement,” he said. “These young men and women will change the world. … Let those who are not with them know your time is up,” Valliere said as the church erupted in applause.
Minutes later as the Mass ended, Hixon’s wife Debbie — a magnet coordinator at South Broward — and his sons Corey and Thomas walked out of the church behind Hixon’s flag-draped coffin. A bagpiper played “Amazing Grace,” and mourners traveled north to Lake Worth, where Hixon received Military Funeral Honors before his burial.
“He was not a celebrity, but he was a hero and a role model,” Wenski said. “And he was a hero long before last Wednesday. He served his country, there was his devotion to his family and the care of his students. We weep and the Hixon family grieves. We grieve with them.”