The flag in front of one north central Florida middle school is flying at half staff, for a man who passed it every day.

Those close to him say, Deputy Gary Edwards was taking out the trash in his pick up truck on Saturday night, when a car driven by Pedro Leyva, 53, hit the rear end of Edwards' pick up, causing Edwards to lose control and hit a utility pole.

On Monday a middle school campus remembered their resource officer- a man who wore many hats, and touched lives- young and old.

"He was looking forward to the next football season... and we just going to dedicate it to him," said Cari Blalock, 13, a student at Suwannee County Middle School.

"When you looked into his eyes, you can tell he cared... and we all loved that about him," he said.

Suwannee County sheriff's deputy Gary Edwards, was hit by a drunk driver while traveling down state road 51 in his pick up truck Saturday night. Edwards died the following day.

"I've seen him in the hospital, and I told him I loved him," said lifelong friend Alan Bonds, who says he was beside Edwards until the very end.

"With just his presence, just for him to show up- if there's something going down, well he's here, that just calms it automatically," he said.

Every day dean bonds rode around campus in a golf cart... with officer Edwards, or "O.E." as his passenger.

A man whose example has inspired many.

"Like our football motto was, get better... and that's what I'm going to do, for the rest of my life, is get better," said Blalock.

Leyva has been charged with DUI-manslaughter.

According to Florida Highway Patrol, Edwards was not wearing his seat belt at the time of the accident.