Human Interest Ala. Teacher and Father of 4 Dies After Getting Pinned Between Buses Before Class: 'Tremendous Loss' Mortimer Jordan High School teacher and bus driver Mark Ridgeway got stuck between the buses after one began to roll away as he was inspecting the vehicle, according to reports By Abigail Adams Abigail Adams Abigail Adams is a Human Interest Writer and Reporter for PEOPLE. She has been working in journalism for seven years. People Editorial Guidelines Published on January 27, 2023 11:05AM EST A community in Alabama is mourning after a beloved high school teacher, bus driver and father of four was killed in an accident on campus. The Jefferson County Sheriff's Office said Mark Ridgeway, 58, died Wednesday after he was pinned between two school buses outside of Mortimer Jordan High School in Kimberly, according to ABC affiliate WBMA-LD and AL.com. Ridgeway was conducting standard checks of his bus prior to his morning route when the unoccupied vehicle started to roll away, per the reports. He became stuck between the two buses as a result and was pronounced dead at the scene when first-responders arrived. The sheriff's office did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment. Girl, 12, Is Only Survivor of Texas Highway Crash that Killed 7: 'My Whole Family Is Gone,' Brother Says Mortimer Jordan High School principal Craig Kanaday confirmed Ridgeway's death in a letter to families in the district, describing it as "a tremendous loss." Ridgeway was a history teacher at the school, where he taught for nearly 30 years, Kanaday said. He also served as a pastor until retiring from the position last summer. "The number of lives he touched on a daily basis is immeasurable and he will be deeply missed," Kanaday wrote in Wednesday's letter. Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free weekly newsletter to get the biggest news of the week delivered to your inbox every Friday. Ridgeway leaves behind his wife Connie Ridgeway, who works as an English teacher at the school, and four children, according to AL.com. "Please keep her, their kids, and the entire Ridgeway family in your prayers," Kanaday wrote in the letter. "We will provide whatever assistance they need in the coming days." Classes at the school were canceled Wednesday but resumed on Thursday, according to WBMA-LD and AL.com. Las Vegas Man, 77, Dies After His Own Car Rolls Over Him in His Driveway and Drags Him with It Grief counselors and local pastors have been made available in wake of Ridgeway's death, Kanaday told the school community in his letter. Superintendent Walter Gonsoulin said one student witnessed a portion of Wednesday's accident, according to WBMA-LD. "It's in times like these that I am reminded that life is fragile and precious and that we must cling to one another for encouragement and support," Kanaday write in his letter. "Together, with God's grace and with time, we will get through this."