GARDINER (NEWS CENTER Maine) -- The usual dress code at Gardiner Regional Middle School went out the window on Thursday as students roamed the halls in masks and capes.
They dressed as superheroes not to fight crime but rather to fight their own heartache at the death of a classmate. Nazir Dogan died of leukemia the previous week.
"He was really and inspiration to us I think because, despite the significant medical stuff that he was going through, whenever he was physically capable of getting to school he was able get to school," said Principal Todd Sanders.
Teachers talked about Nazir's love of superheroes and how he was always eager to strike up a conversation about the latest movie adaptation of his favorite comic book characters.
"I think in many ways Nazir embodied that superhero mindset of what a superhero should be," Sanders said.
From the memories shared by his teachers, it was clear that Nazir possessed the super power to always bring out a smile in the people around him. The superhero costumes were their way to remind students of the happiness he spread, even while they worked through the sadness of his death.