David Schaecter, the Holocaust survivor who devoted his life to teaching future generations
David Schaecter, who turned his survival of Auschwitz into a lifelong mission to teach future generations about the horrors of the Holocaust, died last Thursday at 96. His funeral was held Sunday.
At just 11 years old, Schaecter was crammed into a cattle car with his family and taken to Auschwitz.
"From the minute they unloaded the train to the minute they starting killing the people from that train, it took less than 2 hours," he told CBS News Miami in 2012. His mother and sisters were killed on the first day, and his brother later died in the camp.
Through that pain, Schaecter made it his life's work to educate children about the Holocaust. He returned multiple times to Auschwitz, including in 2012 with fellow survivors David Mermelstein and Joe Sachs, and guided South Florida teens on the March of the Living.
He sought to ensure the world never forgot the 6 million Jews exterminated.
Inspiring South Florida students
Here in South Florida, students connected with him through the Young Lions program.
Nate Pelz and his sisters were matched with Schaecter and say his story left a permanent mark.
"It put his story into my heart, and it gave me like, just like a feeling of, like, I need to retell the story on and on and on again," Nate said.
His sister Ella added: "I think it is so important to always remember how important it is to stand up against hatred or bigotry whenever encountered."
Schaecter's wife, Sydney Carpe, said he leaves a legacy of resilience despite the trauma that shaped his life.
"David's light will continue to shine throughout the world," she said. "I was blessed to walk beside an angel. It was a privilege."
His son Neal remembered his father as a man of tolerance and hope, whose purpose was to teach and warn the next generation.
He read his father's words: "'The next generation is the future of the world. I want them to be my mouthpiece when I can no longer tell my story, David Schaecter.'"
Standing in a concentration camp in 2012, Schaecter reflected on his mission: "I'm so overwhelmed that the world will see us, the world will hear us, that they'll understand the enormity of the Holocaust and they'll never forget it!"