A Wellington school community is mourning the loss of a "much-loved" teacher who was hit by a car while holidaying in the US.
In a post to Facebook this morning, Wellington Girls' College shared "with immense sadness" that Gail Ives had died.
"She was in Los Angeles two weeks ago when she was hit by a car while out running, and she was unable to recover from her injuries," the post said.
Ives was "on the trip of a lifetime" with her husband – travelling to major sports events around the world.
She had been in the health and PE department at the school for 39 years, and was also a former student.
"Much loved as a colleague, teacher and friend, Gail will be sorely missed by the WGC community."
Former students, parents, and staff paid tribute to Ives in the comments.
"I was one of the lucky ones to have been taught by Gail in the 1990s," one wrote. "She was, without a doubt, my absolute favourite teacher. I have so many happy memories of such a kind and wonderful woman.
"I was so excited at the thought of reconnecting with her, and of her possibly teaching my daughter as she starts WGC next year."
Another said that Ives was "so lovely, passionate about sports, quietly spoken but strong in empathy".
A former colleague of Ives described her as a "dedicated teacher" and said she had "the most positive outlook on life".
One parent wrote: "She had the ability to see the best in every girl, and she was endlessly positive."
The school said it would share details of Ives' service at a later time.
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