Tributes to a life lived joyfully

Students at Guyer High School went to school Tuesday remembering the life of their classmate Erick Antonio Gutierrez, 20.

Yellow ribbons were placed on school light posts, trees and doors to celebrate the life of the high school senior, who died Monday after his family decided to remove him from life support. His younger brother, Nash, also a Guyer High senior, said Erick choked while eating dinner last week and never regained consciousness.

A fence at the school Tuesday displayed the message: "We [Heart] You Erick" in yellow and red plastic cups.

Born with cerebral palsy, Erick Gutierrez used a wheelchair to maneuver around his school. When people heard a beeping noise coming down the hall, Nash said, they knew it was his brother in his electric wheelchair.

Nash said Erick was "probably the only guy that was happy to come to school every day." Summer vacations, Nash said, would bore his older brother.

"Erick, I think he loved being at school more than he loved video games, and video games were his thing," said Nash, who added that his brother had aspirations of becoming a video game designer.

Erick Gutierrez

Erick traveled the halls of Guyer making people's days with his smile, even on days when he himself was sick, his brother said. He also conveyed his compassion through art.

"I think he showed this school what love really meant," Nash said. "He had so much love, and he showed that love through his work.

"Just the way he was, it showed people you can be happy in the worst of times, no matter what the circumstances. Life should be treasured and not taken for granted."

A painting Erick made several years ago hangs in the room of special education teacher Carol Parker.

Parker said Erick told her the artwork - which he painted using his feet - represents sunshine and reminded him of her happy demeanor.

Erick himself, Parker said, was always smiling and happy - he never had a bad thing to say, and never had a bad attitude or a bad day.

Parker said her student was glad to share his experiences living with cerebral palsy with others and never allowed his disability to shortchange his ability to complete his assignments.

She remembered a day when he came to her room to rest, and they ended up talking about his love for music - including the Beatles - and Harry Potter. Parker said Erick told her he could relate to the novel character who was different and misunderstood, like him, but was there to "save everyone."

Erick, like Harry Potter, felt he had a special purpose.

"He was just a great guy," Parker said tearfully. "He has been a gift to so many and is such a graceful example of love, strength, humor and compassion. In a school with well over 2,000 students, he has touched us all and taught us a thing or two about courage."

When Erick was admitted to the hospital last week, Donna Jones, Guyer's dean of students, said students began using social media to share information about his condition and support one another. Last week was rocky for students and staff alike. They filmed birthday messages for their classmate, who turned 20 last Thursday, and began to come to terms with the fact he might never return to school, she said.

Students returned to class Tuesday wearing yellow shirts - Erick's favorite color - and with a focus to do something that would make their classmate proud.

The support was overwhelming for Nash, who himself returned to school Tuesday, just one day after his brother's death. At school, he said he remembered Erick with each happy person he passed in the hallways. Nash - who wore a yellow T-shirt and tie - said he was motivated to return to class by all the students who supported him and his brother.

"He changed my life and many people's lives in the way he always made people happy," Nash said. "I know Erick would be happy to see all of this."

He is survived by his parents, Luis and Gloria Gutierrez, and his brother.

Funeral services will be at 5 p.m. today at Trietsch Memorial United Methodist Church in Flower Mound.

Nash Gutierrez said students also plan to sell T-shirts soon at Guyer in Erick's honor. Proceeds will go to Argyle's Camp Summit, a summer camp for disabled youths and adults that Erick frequented.

"Erick was such a good kid," Nash said. "He was a good man. He brought a lot of smiles in his life.

"He was a good child and I couldn't have asked for a more perfect brother."

BRITNEY TABOR can be reached at 940-566-6876. Her e-mail address is btabor@dentonrc.com.