Beloved school crossing guard begins fight with cancer after losing mom, sister to disease

HOUSTON — A beloved crossing guard is saying goodbye to her students, for now, as she begins a battle with cancer.

Sanjuana Torres has been a part-time crossing guard at the Rusk School in Houston, Texas, for 30 years. She knows just about every child’s name, and they love her.

"She's family. She's everything. She was our first friend," one student told KHOU.

Torres recently had her first doctor’s appointment in five years. At that appointment, she learned she had cancer in her abdomen.

Torres is a single mom of five sons. She lost her mother and her sister to cancer and was devastated to learn she had cancer, too.

"First thing that came to my mind, 'Why me?'" Torres told KHOU.

Because she is a part-time worker, she will not be paid for the time she misses work for surgery. The earliest she will be able to return to work is August.

Staff members and friends at the school set up a GoFundMe page to raise money for Torres while she's out of work.

If you would like to donate, click here.

Cox Media Group