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San Diego ISD mariachi maestro passes away at 50

Hector Cantu died at the age of 50 of COVID-19 complications.
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SAN DIEGO, Texas — The San Diego community is mourning the loss of a teacher who died from COVID-19 complications.

Hector Cantu, 50, passed away over the weekend.

He was the director of the San Diego ISD mariachi program which he helped create.

Cantu lobbied for many years with the University Interscholatic League to include mariachi music in competition.

His co-workers and students remember him for his love of education and the impact he had on students.

“We were all broken at one point and he came in and he helped us,” mariachi band member Miguel Salaiz said. “He fixed us. He rebuilt us, not just one individually but as a group, and he made us a family.He was like my father, in a way.:

Cantu had been with the San Diego ISD for 21 years.