Community gathers to mourn, pay respects for Adam Ward's family

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SALEM (WSLS 10) - Emotions ran high as hundreds of people walked in to Salem High School to pay their respects to Adam Ward's family.

Ward along with his colleague reporter Alison Parker were killed last week.

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"It was comforting for me for the child I taught in third grade became the man he was," says Judy Deel, Troutville Elementary School.

Deel was Ward's elementary school teacher. She and another teacher said Ward was truly a gem who kids wanted to be friends with.

"He was a treasure got along with all the other children he was all excited about science," says Rebecca Boone, Ward's kindergarten teacher.

The love for Ward was seen through a long line inside the school of people wanting to share their memories with his family and loved ones.

Some of those people included his WDBJ7  family and the Salem High School football team.

"Adam's what everyone has been saying he was, full of life, he was truly kind to people he smiled all the time, he wore shorts everyday no matter how cold it was," said Scott Habeeb, Salem High School principal."His dad called him a knucklehead but did it anyways. He was fun and he was genuine."