LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A Jefferson County Public Schools teacher who vowed to "fight until the last breath" has died.

The hallways and classrooms at Waggener High School are full of grief this week. 

"You can never prepare yourself, and we're all just super sad," said Dr. Sarah Hitchings, Waggener High School principal. "We knew that, you know, things were grim. But still, you're never prepared. 

Last week, students and staff got the heartbreaking news that beloved world history teacher Rob Hammond had died. 

Hammond was diagnosed with stage four cancer in August of 2020 and told he didn't have long to live. 

"It hurt my heart more than anything," said Travon Castro, a junior at Waggener.

Monday was the first day back in the building since students and staff heard the news. 

"There's definitely a lot of heartache in the building today," said Tyler Kordesich, world history teacher at Waggener. "It definitely has been heart-wrenching. I've had some students come to me just because they knew about my relationship with Rob."

A few years ago, Kordesich was hired to help cover Hammond's classes.

"So that whole year I worked with him through NTI," he said. "Day in and day out, helping instruct."

Sharing part of their last conversation, Kordesich said Hammond became a mentor and a friend.

"The last thing I texted him was like, 'Hey, I just came to see you at the hospital and I said you're not there anymore,'" he said. "And I was like 'I had, my day was pretty bad, but it just got a little bit better knowing that you're back home now.'"

Hammond responded, but it wasn't one Kordesich wanted to read. 

"He texted me and was like, 'I think it's about time to kind of get my things together for you,'" he said.

As the cancerous tumors spread through Hammond's body, his physical appearance changed. 

"When we came back into the building in April, you could see what a toll the disease had taken on his body," said Hitchings. "Rob handled it with style. You know, doctors told him he had to, you know, to walk with a cane, he made sure he got a really cool one."

But Hammond's passion and dedication remained unchanged.

"Teaching class from chemo sessions, helping students, you know, while he was hooked up getting his radiation or chemo," Kordesich said. "It helped everybody else around him knowing, you know, how at peace he was with it. His ability to connect with students and really inspire them is, I think, unparalleled in what we've seen as far as in education."

Hammond not only taught history at Waggener, but he was a respected soccer coach before his illness. Kordesich said he earned the respect of everyone in the building.

"I've had, you know, his coaches tell me that he could get his soccer players to do things that nobody else could," he said. "He really is the most humble, selfless person that I've ever met and I owe everything to him. I just wouldn't be who I am without him."

In the last few years, Hammond received numerous awards and honors. 

"The city of St. Matthews declared him a saint. We were able to give him the prestigious district's Light House Award," said Hitchings. "Rob spent last spring giving people gifts. We would tell him to stop, and they were extravagant."

For Kordesich, that gift was an ancient dagger. For Hitchings, it was also a memorable gift.

"I am a huge Dallas Cowboy fan, and he gave me a legit chair from the old Texas Stadium, you know, with the certificate of authenticity," she said.

Just a few months before his death, Hammond took his wife and 4-year-old daughter to Disneyland. 

"I think that's what kept him going for a while last spring, was making sure that that trip happened for his family and for Genevieve, she's a huge Rapunzel fan," said Hitchings.

Though they didn't get a chance to say goodbye in person, Hammond's colleagues honored him by wearing t-shirts with his name on Monday.

"I had like, a lot of regret," said Castro.

He said that regret is for things he didn't get the chance to say, but he will always remember what made Hammond so special.

"He stood by his word, and, you know, I just really looked up to him," he said. "He was very engaging. He was very funny. He liked to make a lot of jokes, and just showing up to this class was just one of my favorite parts of the day."

This week, counselors are on campus for both students and staff.

"JCPS has a district crisis team of counselors from schools across the district. We're so blessed to have that support," said Hitchings. "The district crisis team counselors were there to kind of help our teachers."

Funeral services for Hammond will be held Thursday afternoon.

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