GO TO THE HEAD OF THE CLASS

By Peter Vuono

     In 2003 my son Mike entered Brockton, Ma. High School. Like any freshman, he was laden with trepidation about what he would have to face. A true oasis for him was Mr. Kenny Heenan, his Science teacher. Mr. Heenan was friendly, funny and open. The kids knew he was there to help. However at the same time, Mr. Heenan possessed a background where if push came to shove, he wouldn't back down and he'd enforce discipline. When Mr. Heenan left teaching, there was an enormous gap in the dept. Shoes had to be filled that not even Wilt Chamberlain could fill; until dept. chairman Rich Poirier, wisely hired John Bergonzi.
   At 6'5" and a solid 220,  the handsome rookie was the perfect choice. The kids, who were very needy and demanding in every way, took to John like flies to honey. They knew that this was a friend who was on their side but who was also strong enough to set boundaries which the kids needed. No one ever would have thought that Mr. Heenan would ever be replaced with the proper substitute but fortuitously, that is exactly what had happened.
     John more than proved himself in the classroom. He became an exemplary teacher, a loyal colleague and found his future wife, Angie, teaching beside him. Things were going great until one morning in mid April of 2011. It began like any other day with the magnificent sunrise shining off the waters of Flagg Pond providing the thousands of incoming students and staff with a beautiful , picturesque landscape to greet their arrival. What no one knew, however was that something else would arrive to school that day.
    An evil wind blew down the street, past the garbage and through the school yard fence. With it, was brought a young man with fire in his eyes, vengeance in his heart and a knife in his hand. His only mission was to do bodily harm on someone who wronged him. As he entered the cafeteria, the only line of defense between him and the student body was John Bergonzi.
    Instinctively, John knew what to do. He quickly grabbed the weapon hand and hauled the boy down pinning him to the floor. The cacophony brought several personnel to the area but the first responder was John and John alone.
     Only God knows what could have happened or who could have been injured if he didn't intervene. But I knew that we had a hero amongst us. For reasons unknown this story of heroism never went national. John later received an award but it was in front of his peers only and the award was soft pedaled in this author's estimation.
    Still, John had accomplished great things. He became  a model teacher, a great friend  and a great colleague. He found the love of his life and exhibited Spartan heroism in protecting the innocent. In every way, John Bergonzi had gone to the head of the class.