Heroic Newtown principal mourned

Heroic Newtown principal mourned

The Newtown Bee

Dawn Hochsprung was a mother to two daughters and stepmother to three. Candles at the funeral home spelled out "hope."

Hundreds of mourners, including U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan, paid their respects Wednesday to the hero principal of the Newtown massacre.

Dawn Hochsprung, 47, was gunned down when she lunged at Adam Lanza in an attempt to disarm the shooter who killed 20 children and six staff members at Sandy Hook Elementary School last Friday.

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Friends, family and strangers formed a heartsick line that stretched out the door of a Woodbury, Conn., funeral home and around the block, as local police and state troopers stood guard. Waiting outside in the bitter cold, the mourners sipped hot drinks and ate doughnuts and pizza that community groups provided.

John Masciola, a friend, remembered Hochsprung at the wake as “just the sweetest person.”

The mother of two daughters and three stepdaughters lay in an open coffin, dressed in a green silk dress and black cardigan. Flowers flanked the casket, including a small vase of pink roses from strangers.

Hour after hour, guests streamed into the Munson-Lovetere Funeral Home past candles that spelled “hope.”

But Hochsprung’s devastated relatives were determined to stay until the end. They took turns by the casket, warmly embracing friends and strangers alike.

Dozens of photos on a tagboard showed the beloved educator beaming beside friends and colleagues, and awards from her days running track at Naugatuck High School were on display.