Students and staff at Brooklyn Tech gathered to remember a beloved assistant principal who died last week after a sudden medical episode.

Those who knew him describe Paul Hoftyzer, who was 44 years old, as someone who took his job seriously without taking himself too seriously. Many shared stories of how Hoftyzer touched their lives as a teacher, colleague and friend.

He had been a fixture of Brooklyn Tech for over 20 years, first as a chemistry teacher, most recently as the assistant principal for health and safety. He walked around smiling in his characteristic pastel shirts.

One of Hoftyzer's colleagues, Iiju Abraham, says he always led by example and would walk into the building with a smile.