Teacher called a "hero" for actions during Taunton stabbings

TAUNTON, Mass. — A couple's dream of spending the rest of their lives together was shattered when a New Bedford teacher was killed Tuesday when a suspect went on a

"He was just great. He was a hero - my hero," said Rosemary Heath, wife of George Heath.

George Heath was a 56-year-old visual design instructor at New Bedford Vocational Technical High School. He has brought joy to Rosemary for the past 14 years.

"He made me laugh SO much. I'm heartbroken beyond belief," she wrote on Facebook.

George was eating dinner in Bertucci's when Arthur DaRosa allegedly attacked a pregnant waitress.

"We saw the girl and the guy standing next to her and saw the knife. she started running towards me. he had the back of her shirt and kept stabbing her," said Rosemary.

Rosemary said when they realized what was going on, they didn't even speak. They got up from their table and jumped into action. She said she pushed the waitress, Sheenah Savyoy, out of the way and put a chair between them. George then tackled him.

"He was struggling with him to get the knife away/. He was trying to get him around the waist area and the guy got his arm away and stabbed my husband in the head," she said.

Rosemary said that she frantically called 911, as the chaos continued around her. An off-duty deputy who was also in the restaurant shot and killed DaRosa.

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>> READ MORE: Family of Taunton stabbing suspect says he was suicidal, mentally disturbed

The suspect, 28-year-old Arthur DaRosa of Taunton, was later shot and killed by an off-duty deputy. Another victim,

killed and five others were injured.

Officials said that George's actions are heroic.  Bristol County District Attorney Thomas Quinn said at a news conference Wednesday that his wife knew someone who was friends with Heath.

"She indicated to my wife that she was not surprised, because that's the kind of man he was," said Quinn.

The high school where Heath worked at remembered him as a "tremendous educator with a great passion for teaching."

The school said Heath "was influential in sparking creativity and a love of learning in all of his students."

The school has grief counselors on hand to help students and plan to honor Heath in some way.

FULL STATEMENT FROM NEW BEDFORD VOCATIONAL TECHNICAL HIGH SCHOOL:

Mr. George Heath, one of our visual design instructors for the past 4 years, was a victim of a random act of senseless violence at the Galleria Mall in Taunton on Tuesday evening.

Mr. Heath was a tremendous educator with a great passion for teaching; he was influential in sparking creativity and a love of learning in all of his students.

More details and information will be forthcoming.

Please keep George, his family and the Voc-Tech Family in your thoughts during this difficult time.

Cox Media Group