'She was one of those kids that everyone was drawn to because she was so genuinely kind,' Payton Chester's former principal tells PEOPLE
A day after the tragic incident, the Chester family released a statement, mourning the loss of their loved ones. “Yesterday we lost our mother and wife, Sarah, and sister and daughter, Payton. We are devastated by this loss,” the statement began.
Speaking to PEOPLE, Todd Schmidt, the former principal of Harbor View Elementary School where Payton attended with her brothers before they moved to St. Margaret’s Episcopal School, said Sarah and Payton were members of a “dream family.” Schmidt added, “Payton was one of those kids that everyone was drawn to because she was so genuinely kind. She went out of her way to make sure people felt comfortable. She would seek out that kiddo who was alone and include them.”
“Every teacher who had her knew they had an amazing child they knew was going to work hard but was also going to be a model student to others,” Schmidt shared. “She had the ability to bring out the best in every child. She had the biggest smile all the time. You knew that it was genuine.”RELATED: Mother and Daughter Sarah and Payton Chester Identified as Victims in Kobe Bryant Helicopter Crash
Touting Sarah’s experience as a former teacher, Schmidt described her as “a sounding board,” adding, “I could come with ideas and say, ‘Hey, what do you think about this?’ I got to use her as a lens as a teacher and a parent. She always gives me her insight. She had great ideas. We had a great partnership.
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