A former earth science teacher, who taught in New York’s Webster Central School District, hosted over 100 of his former students at his home in suburban Rochester, New York, during Monday’s historic solar eclipse, fulfilling a promise he made 46 years ago.
Patrick Moriarty, 68, was 22 in 1978 when he first promised his students they would reunite for the 2024 total solar eclipse, according to WHAM-TV.
For the next 16 years, he reportedly invited every earth science class he taught in the New York school district for the reunion through a Facebook page he had created for the occasion.
It turns out in Rochester we didn’t need the glasses, there was no traffic and clouds blocked the solar eclipse view. Oh well, I still had the best eclipse assignment. Retired Webster science teacher Pat Moriarty had
an eclipse reunion with students he taught nearly 50 yrs ago. pic.twitter.com/O3cHuZSIUe— Marsha Augustin (@MarshaA_TV) April 9, 2024
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“It’s not about the eclipse. It’s about you guys being here to share this time with my family, me and each other,” Moriarty reportedly said.
As the moon traveled between the sun and Earth, Moriarty’s promise was finally kept after it was made decades ago.
“Definitely the longest homework assignment in the history of any teacher,” Kevin Thompson, who was a student in Moriarty’s class in 1982, said.
Did you see the eclipse?
Thompson and Chuck O’Brien, who was in the same class as him, said they were grateful their former teacher kept his promise to reunite.
“He wasn’t just a great teacher. He was an inspirational teacher,” O’Brien said.
AUDIO: My @wcbs880 interview with retired Rochester teacher Patrick Moriarty. In 1978, he told his middle school students to “circle April 8, 2024 on your calendars,” so they could view the solar #eclipse together. They did! Dozens showed up!
Listen: https://t.co/eHmXvjJTWk pic.twitter.com/e8Q83UatVR
— Steve Scott (@SteveScottNEWS) April 10, 2024
Nick Stathis, another student in Moriarty’s 1982 class reportedly drove five hours to attend the gathering.
He told WHAM that Moriarty inspired him to become an earth science teacher and praised both Moriarty and his wife Ellen for having impacted many lives.
Other news reporters were also present to interview Moriarty and his students. Among those who attended were Rick Mintz, Class of 1979; Chuck O’Brien, Class of 1982; Andrea J. Malafeew, Class of 1988.
“To see all the different classes join together — this was, to me, a true class reunion,” Kendra Denson, who was in Moriarty’s class of 1984, told the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle.
With this historic total eclipse reunion a registered success, Moriarty quipped that he will perhaps plan another reunion for the 2044 eclipse in the state of Wisconsin.
On August 22, 2044, a total solar eclipse will cross over Montana, North Dakota and South Dakota, according to National Eclipse.
That same day, a partial solar eclipse will also occur in all or parts of Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Iowa, Idaho, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, Nevada, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
Moriarty will be 88 years old by the time this next eclipse rolls around.
