Tornillo Students, Staff Mourn Sudden Loss Of Football Coach

For the second time this school year, students and staff in Tornillo are mourning a sudden loss.

Bradley Graves died in a wreck Wednesday morning after he lost control of his car while suffering a medical emergency and hit a tree on Alameda Avenue near Fabens.

Students are struggling to accept what happened but they said Mr. Graves was a favorite teacher, who battled cancer twice.

Graves had been a teacher for 20 years before arriving at Tornillo; he was only there for a little more than a semester.

Students and fellow teachers say he’s one they’ll never forget.

“I hope you’re in heaven smiling down,” is just one of the many messages from students to their beloved English teacher and coach.

Wednesday, the 54-year-old drove off Alameda and slammed into a tree.

He reportedly had a pre-existing medical condition that caused him to lose control of the car.

For months Graves had severe headaches and visual problems.

Tornillo district officials say he was going home because he wasn’t feeling well.

“He made me a stronger person since he told me he fought cancer twice and he beat it that my aunt was suffering from that and he made me a stronger person to not let her go and not cry for her as much as I would,” said student Emily Saucedo.

“He’s no longer suffering,” she added,

This is the second loss for the Tornillo community this school year.

Stephanie Segura went through a railroad crossing and hit a train in September.

She used to be the principal at Tornillo Middle School.

“That’s just like getting hit a second time, the second time hurts kind of hurts worse than the first time,” said Tornillo High Athletic Director Cody Burris.

“”It’s gonna be very hard but we’re just gonna have to get past it,” said a Tornillo student.

Investigators have not said what kind of medical problem Graves was having when he crashed.

District officials tell us he’d been suffering from chronic headaches and disorientation for some time.