Support for Ed Gruber and His Family
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$154,900 raised of
1.3K donations
There are some that are uniquely active, others that are uniquely energetic, fewer that are uniquely devoted, and even those that are uniquely supportive. How then can one capture the essence of a man that is simultaneously all of these?
On the sunny Friday morning of July 24, 2026, Ed Gruber was bicycling home from City Island on a route that he loves. Riding through a familiar crosswalk as he had done a thousand times prior, Ed was struck by a moving vehicle; he has not woken up since. First in the ICU, Ed is now in long-term care, and his immediate family– Irene, Nicole, Eddie Jr., and Vicky– faces a long and uncertain road that they should not walk alone.
This GoFundMe has been created for multiple reasons. In part, to help Ed’s family with mounting costs amid lost income - among them medical bills, daily living expenses, and legal fees. In part, to implore us to continue to care for each other in our daily lives. Even now, Ed brings us together in spirit.
If you know Ed Gruber, you know a man in motion. For thirty-three years, Ed’s teaching style was best characterized as “bringing in an elephant to teach the color gray.” Naturally, Ed was both beloved by his students and renowned among his peers. Retiring from teaching in June 2024, Ed settled many a troubled heart by returning to Eastchester High School (EHS) as a building substitute, new-teacher mentor, Ski Club advisor, union representative, Rock-Against-Cancer drummer, and general “utility player” extraordinaire (this was “retirement”). Over the past two years the frenzy of Ed’s day mirrors that of an air-traffic controller. Often beginning before 4:00AM, after a homemade coffee and protein shake, Ed jumps from a bike through the park to leg day at the gym to his northward commute to a 20-minute reflection with his coffee klatch at EHS. Here the myriad of tasks unfold, differently each day: from coordinating traffic-flow and student drop-off to covering a classroom for a colleague pulled away by emergency to organizing and distributing student IDs to bouncing between classrooms to document failed over-head lights and climate-control issues– the majority of these tasks aren’t even in Ed’s job description. His formal duties fluctuate as well: from a week working alongside the students with special needs (his favorite assignment) to three days teaching AP Chemistry (demonstrations and all) to single days of seven periods in seven different classrooms to running crowd control at assemblies, Ed is the single best-known individual in the entire high school.
If you know Ed Gruber, you know a man in service. A Eucharist Minister and reader at St. Francis of Rome in the Bronx, Ed has recently been called “the unsanctioned missionary.” His faith is strong, as is his willingness to share it. In so doing, Ed has brought colleagues and friends of every faith, including no faith, to belief and prayer. Long-time Scoutmaster for Scarsdale Troop 2, Ed does it all, from leading local clean-ups to guiding hiking trips at Philmont Ranch in New Mexico. Even long after his son graduated from the Scouts, Ed continues to assist because he understands the importance of guiding the youth toward strength of character and good decision-making.
If you know Ed Gruber, you know a man in devotion. Driven by the phrase “consolation versus desolation,” Ed increasingly evaluates his many commitments in the context of how they impact his ability to be a good husband, father, brother, son, uncle, in-law, etc. The names of Ed’s wife and children, as well as their extended families, are always on his mind and frequently across his lips. A temporary apartment for his newlywed child? Ed immediately reapportioned part of the house. Snow in the winter, rain in the summer? Ed shovels before work and mows afterward at his mother-in-law’s home. Ed taught his children to skate, ski, bike, drive, and, naturally, do physics. Ed taught his kids how to play vinyl, how to play the drums, and also how to play legos– and nothing they do is halfway. As described by his family, Ed’s devotion knows no bounds. No one knows this better than Irene. The best of friends, Ed and Irene have traveled the world, literally on long drives, airplanes, and cruise ships, and figuratively while “Drinking around the world” wandering through Epcot Center.
Yes, if you know Ed Gruber, you know a man that reflects deeply, comes to conclusions, and then does not hedge. Over countless conversations Ed’s voice has reminded us that, no matter your faith, prayer is powerful; that, no matter your commitments, family comes first; that, no matter your politics, we stand and pledge allegiance together. Despite his certainty of tone and utter lack of verbal hesitation, Ed is truly among the most open-minded: present him with a logical and evidenced argument and he graciously rewrites his previous conclusions. In a world of increasing uncertainty, Ed is as a colleague described in his retirement speech two years ago: “unapologetically Ed.”
If you know Ed Gruber, you know a man that will be there, physically and emotionally, small scale or large. First, for Ed, please consider taking part in what one of his colleagues kicked-off: wherever you are, whatever you are doing, pause at 4:00PM daily and join a growing group to offer a prayer in whatever form feels comfortable to you.
Next, for Ed’s family, please consider donating.
Finally, for Ed’s greater community, please consider sharing this letter and inviting others to do the same.
For those that want a taste of what it’s like to learn from Ed, enjoy the YouTube link featuring the wildest man at EHS:
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