CAT Tracks for May 23, 2003 DANNY KOHN EDUCATION FUND

On May 6, 2003, Cairo High School teacher Steve Kohn sacrificed his life for his son, protecting him when a tornado totally destroyed the family home. In a sense, this was nothing new…Steve gave his life to his son – EVERY DAY – for eight years. Steve completely immersed himself in the raising of his son, letting his son know that he was loved, protected, and supported.

Steve went to great lengths to instill a love of learning in his son, so that his son would have the proper foundation for his future education. As chief negotiator for the Cairo Association of Teachers, Steve insisted that bargaining sessions end in time for him to return home to read his son to sleep. Steve lived and breathed education…for his children and the children of others.

Those of us who personally knew Steve were shocked and saddened at what happened on May 6th. Media reports of his heroic sacrifice have caused a similar reaction in people who never met him. We grieve for the family – especially for an 8-year-old boy who lost his father, a grandfather and a grandmother during a 3-month period. We feel so helpless…we want to do something.

Because of Steve Kohn’s life-long commitment to education and his obvious devotion to his son, we felt that an appropriate memorial would be to establish an education fund for his son, Danny. If you would like to honor the memory of this loving father/teacher who made the ultimate sacrifice, please send a donation to: