LAKELAND, Fla. — On the first day of October, Dax Gingras wore a Halloween costume while directing traffic at the morning car line at South McKeel Academy in Lakeland.
He did it again on October 2nd.
“Then I decided I’d do it all month,” Dax says.
For the past four weeks, the former physical education teacher at McKeel entertained students and parents while dressed as a traffic cone, bacon, Captain Underpants, Julius Caesar and Jon Snow from “Game of Thrones.”
He also inspired everyone around him.
Five years ago, Dax was diagnosed with glioblastoma, the same aggressive brain cancer that killed Sen. John McCain and Beau Biden.
“Ninety-eight percent of people die within 10 months,” Dax says. “I’m obviously not dead, so I’m going to have fun with the time I have left.”
The husband and father of two young children is retired from teaching now. But he could not resist helping out when his old school invited him to volunteer at morning car circle.
A few holiday costumes (a leprechaun for St. Patrick’s Day) turned into this epic Halloween treat.
“It sounds cheesy," says Dax. "But when a kid waves back to me and smiles, that’s awesome."
Dax is feeling good, his cancer in remission.
“‘Everyday Better’ is now our family motto,” says Dax.
