WOODRUFF, S.C. (WSPA) – Spartanburg School District 4 said Dr. Randy Grant was the perfect representation of how deep Woodruff’s roots run.
“If you start thinking about all the folks he has taught or coached, it’s numerous, so he’s had a generational impact on the community,” said District 4 Superintendent Rallie Liston.
After celebrating his students Friday night at Woodruff High School’s graduation, Dr. Grant drove home and was hit by a car while crossing the street to get his mail.
“He was as positive and upbeat as usual,” said Liston about Dr. Grant at the graduation. “I think he enjoyed seeing all of that and enjoyed seeing the students because some of these students would have been relatives or children of people he taught, or even grandchildren, so to see all that and then to leave and go a short distance home, was such a shock when we all began to hear about this.”
According to the coroner’s office, the crash happened just after 10 p.m. on S.J. Workman Highway and Sam Davis Road near Woodruff.
Dr. Grant was a longtime teacher, coach and vice chairman of the Spartanburg County school district 4 board of trustees. Superintendent Liston said Dr. Grant knew everything there was to know about the Woodruff community.
We’re told he grew up in Woodruff and returned back to Woodruff High School, where he graduated from, to teach. He also enjoyed keeping the football team’s statistics each season and was planning on doing it again this upcoming fall.
“The thing about him is he just loved Woodruff, he just loved Woodruff,” said Liston.
While this comes as a complete shock to the generations of students and athletes who were taught and coached by Dr. Grant, District 4 said they know they have each other to lean on.
“We won’t have to come together, we are together,” said Liston.
The South Carolina Highway Patrol responded to the crash and said they are currently investigating.
