AMHERST — When he climbs on his bike to participate in the Pan-Mass Challenge in early August, Eric Heller will be thinking about his late neighbor Brian McNamara, whom he fondly calls his yardwork “brother-in-arms.”
Whether it be clearing snow and ice in the winter, removing leaves in the fall or mowing in the summer, Heller said there was always “opportunities to put down the tools for a moment to discuss sports and silly town politics.”
Now, with McNamara’s recent death after battling a rare form of cancer, Heller said he will carry his friend’s memory at the Pan-Mass, especially when he faces obstacles during training or the ride.
“When it’s hard for me, my mind will go to Brian and all the pain he was going through,” Heller said. “I’m healthy and I get to do this.”
McNamara, 72, a much-loved teacher who was honored by dozens of his former students last summer in the midst of battling urethral cancer, died of the illness on July 12.
He is being remembered for his impact on a generation of children who had him as a fifth- and sixth-grade teacher from 1974 to 2006 at Wildwood Elementary School.
“He was a lifelong teacher, a friend and an incredible role model and I think of him every single time my fingers touch a keyboard,” Lateef Adé Williams said.
Williams, who has written for the Gazette, DC Comics and productions for the Apollo Theater, said that even though he wasn’t the best student, McNamara encouraged him to pursue this interest.
“I always felt there was a direct correlation between what he encouraged me to do and how he did it so lovingly,” Williams said.
Williams’ mother, Aquila McCants, called McNamara a mentor and guide for her son, and a kindhearted soul for all his students. She points to McNamara giving Williams advice on how he could learn vocabulary words through writing.
“It was so successful that my son loved doing it and continued to do it well past his tenure with Brian McNamara,” McCants said.
When former students gathered last year, they shared memories of the man they knew as Mr. Mac, included his crying in the classroom the day after John Lennon was shot, playing social justice and anti-war songs by Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, Jim Croce and Joni Mitchell for students every Friday, and talking about protesting the Vietnam War, even though he had previously served in the Air Force.
As he wove music, social justice and love into his curriculum, he became close to students and their families, inviting many to dinners at his home with his wife, Judy.
Prior to that event, McNamara called teaching a passion, not a job.
“I told the kids I would be their friend for life, if you choose to be,” McNamara said. “I appreciated teaching as a situation where you built relationships with the students.”
His passing comes just weeks before the Pan-Mass Challenge, the 192-mile bike ride Heller, deputy director of the University of Massachusetts Donahue Institute, will again participate in. Riding for the 24th time, Heller decided months ago he would honor McNamara, his next door neighbor for the past 28 years.
He drafted a fundraising appeal letter talking about McNamara and himself and their frequent discussions over yardwork.
“And then there were Brian’s signature parting words as we put the tools away for the day and closed our garage doors: ‘See you out here!,’” Heller wrote in his letter.
Heller said McNamara serves as one of many people who are inspirations that will generate $48 million toward researching cancer treatments and research.
“It’s a weekend with really good people united by something that affects everyone,” Heller said.
People can donate at http://profile.pmc.org/EH0007.
Emma Leheny, who was at Wildwood between 1979 and 1981, recalls playing football and basketball with McNamara during recess.
“To me, this reflects his spirit,” Leheny said. “He positioned himself so we could experience success, gently coached us as an inclusive team, and seemed to tirelessly enjoy our company.”
Similar memories are held by Jeremy Arkes.
“He would be the quarterback for both sides in a winter football game on the snow or ice, and my favorite part was trying to run under one of his bombs.”
Others took to Facebook to recall McNamara on a We Love Mac group.
“Mac made us feel loved, that we mattered and that it’s important to respect and care for each other,” Jamie Watt wrote in his reflection.
Another early 1980s student, Didi Olevsky, said in an email that McNamara was a cultural beacon for her, as well as being a traditional educator.
“As an only child of immigrants, I credit him directly for opening my eyes to so many American things, pop music, newsmakers, Vietnam vets,” Olevsky said.
Becky Michaels, who had McNamara starting in 1979, said she has tried to instill the same values of kindness and caring in her daughters, remembering a time when he demonstrated how forming cliques can lead to people being excluded.
Many of his former students themselves became teachers, like Lissa Dowcett McIver, who calls him the most influential person on her life.
“He was engaging, innovative, and passionate,” McIver said, remembering the times he talked about his favorite TV show “The Wonder Years” and invited students to his house after the benefit walk for the A Better Chance House. “He made us eager to learn by presenting material in ways that were relevant, exciting and fun.”
Having McNamara in 2004, Surya Murty remembers him dying his hair black and slicking it back to show what it meant to embrace Elvis Presley.
“Even though he had been teaching for many years at this point, his passion for his students was unmatched. He was able to not simply be an instructor but to bring the subject material to life,” Murty said.
“Mac was a teacher in every beautiful sense of the word,” said Seth Peterson, a student at Wildwood until 1983. “He will be remembered and honored, and we thank his loving family for sharing him with us.”
Seth Peterson’s mother, Lorna Peterson, described McNamara as a special person.
“There is nothing better one can say about someone than he was a great teacher,” Peterson said.
Scott Merzbach can be reached at smerzbach@gazettenet.com.