CAPE CORAL, Fla. — A beloved science teacher at Ida S. Baker High School died in a car crash Friday morning. She leaves behind her husband, two young children, and countless students whose lives she touched.
Alexandra Ashby, known to friends and family as Alex, crashed into a utility pole in Cape Coral early Friday morning, according to Cape Coral Police. Officers said drugs and alcohol were not factors in the crash.
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Alex was a teacher, mother of two, and wife who held each role dear to her heart, according to her husband Taylor Ashby, who is also a teacher at North Fort Myers High School.
Fox 4's Bella Line sat down with Taylor Ashby to talk about the legacy Alex leaves behind:
"She was always the first person to reach out her hand to people when they were in times of need, the person that always had a granola bar in her drawer for her students," Taylor Ashby said.
Now, the Ashby family is working through the unthinkable loss.
"There's nothing more that I want to do right now than to make my wife a cup of coffee and make her her favorite thing to eat," Taylor Ashby said.
Taylor Ashby told stories about his wife behind strong, courageous and kind. He said Alex battled cystic fibrosis throughout her life, but it never dimmed her light or determination.
"She wanted to defy the odds that were told to her parents when she was a kid, and she superseded that, and she created a lasting impact on not just my life, but the students that she had, the friends that she had, and our children's lives," Ashby said.
Alex's courage in the face of her medical challenges serves as inspiration for others, according to her husband.
"Don't hesitate to do the things that you're afraid to do. Be courageous regardless of the cards that you're dealt," Ashby said.
Alex leaves behind her 5-year-old son Landon and 13-month-old daughter Estelle.
When asked what he would say to his wife if she were still here, Taylor Ashby's response was simple but profound.
"I love you would probably be the biggest thing, I got you. I got our kids," Ashby said. "I'm proud of her, and our kids are proud of her."
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