Scott Elder, Superindentent, Albuquerque Public Schools: “In any profession, there’s no more duty more difficult or heart wrenching than sharing the devastating news of a colleague’s passing. For Albuquerque public schools, this loss is unprecedented. Never before have we experienced the loss of so many in one incident. One of the long-serving police sergeants, his wife, two of our educators and the father of one of our counselors, were killed in yesterday’s tragic hot air balloon accident on the city’s west side Albuquerque public schools as a family, and today we’re all mourning the deaths of Sergeant Marty Martinez, his wife Mary, Susan Montoya, who was an assistant principal at Georgia O’Keeffe Elementary, her husband John Montoya, a special education assistant at Sandia High School, and Nicholas Meleski, the balloon pilot and father of school and crisis counselor Kristy MacIntire. Our deepest condolences to all the victims, their families, friends, colleagues and the countless individuals that may have been touched at some point by the victim. Sergeant Martinez, Susan and John Montoya collectively served this district over 32 years. That means in there are many capacities that impacted the lives of thousands of students, staff and others.”