Fairfax Co. special education instructor dies at 28, friend remembers him

FAIRFAX COUNTY, Va. (DC News Now) — Tragedy struck a Virginia family over the weekend, as a 28-year-old died after a fall and head injury.

Kevin Iglesias worked with special education children at Glasgow Middle School in Fairfax County, and one of his longest friends shared more about him in an interview with DC News Now.

His friend, Abby Ponce, said that everyone can learn lessons from him. She said Iglesias loved the kids with whom he worked more than anything, and believes his story can inspire.

“I think the first thing that comes to mind is how important it is to just care and genuinely love everyone around you,” she said while looking at old college photos of the two of them.

Ponce has known Iglesias since they were kids, and now she’s remembering him as just a truly good person.

“I was able to see his heart really evolve over the years,” she said.

During the interview, Ponce couldn’t help but smile while telling stories and reflecting on Iglesias’s life. She said he lived to help others, the best example of that being his job in the classroom.

In 2019, the Fairfax County Special Education PTA (SEPTA) awarded him Outstanding Support Staff.

“I think what I always remember is that Kevin always carried the letters, the drawings that the kids would draw him,” she said. “It was always with him. So his wallet always seemed very thick.” 

Ponce said it’s been tough for Iglesias’s family, but she wants his story out there to help everyone heal — so his loss leaves not just memories, but a lasting impression.

“Those children really need instructors that aren’t there half-heartedly, but really, instructors that will devote all their time and their effort efforts there,” she said. “That’s exactly what he did.

When asked how she will remember Iglesias, Ponce said it will be his “big heart” and how he saw the “beauty” and “positivity” in every day.