Taylor Swift's Beloved Former Teacher Dies After Cancer Battle the Same Day She Marries Travis Kelce
Taylor Swift's beloved former teacher, Kirk Schwabe, died after a battle with cancer on the same day she married Travis Kelce.
July 5 2026, Published 2:40 p.m. ET
Taylor Swift married Travis Kelce in New York City on July 3 — the same day her beloved former teacher Kirk Schwabe died after a battle with cancer, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
Schwabe, who taught Swift criminal justice at Hendersonville High School and later worked as her security guard, was 69.
Swift's Former Teacher Dies After Hospice Move
He died on July 3 at age 69.
Schwabe's daughter, Sarah Gordon, revealed on Facebook just one day before his death that her father's condition had deteriorated rapidly and he had been moved to hospice care.
"Over the past several weeks, his health has declined rapidly, and he has now been moved to hospice care," Gordon wrote.
"If you know my dad, you know he has poured his heart into everything he's done. He has always loved teaching. He loves his students."
Alongside the post, Gordon shared a photo of Swift posing with her father while holding a framed plaque commemorating the release of the singer's 2006 self-titled debut album, Taylor Swift.
Before becoming an educator, Schwabe worked as a Chicago police officer.
He later taught criminal justice at Hendersonville High School, where Swift was one of his students between 2004 and 2006 as her music career began taking off.
He Never Stopped Believing in Swift
Schwabe taught Taylor Swift in high school before later serving as her security guard.
Just days before his death, Schwabe spoke fondly about his former student in an interview published on July 2, saying he had full confidence she had found the right partner in Kelce.
"I do trust Taylor's judgment. She knows what's best," he said.
Schwabe also recalled recognizing Swift's star potential long before she became one of the world's biggest entertainers.
"I told her, you're a superstar. This is not fun and games no more. You are it. Everything keeps going up and up and up, and the sky's the limit for you," he remembered.
After Swift's career exploded, Schwabe joined her security team, admitting he felt immense responsibility while protecting the young singer during public appearances.
"If anything happens, I'm the guy," he said. "We got four or five hundred people in here, and I got some extra security guards, but I don't know a lot of these guys who got hired, I don't know what their qualifications are."
'He Treated Her Like He Did His Daughters'
Schwabe's wife said he 'treated her like one of his daughters.'
Schwabe's wife, Jane, said her husband always looked after Swift with the same care he showed his own children.
"He treated her like he did his daughters," she said.
Although Schwabe eventually stepped away from working security because of burnout, he remained close to Swift's story.
His impact on the singer was later immortalized in the 2010 romantic comedy Valentine's Day, where Swift's character's teacher was named "Mr. Schwabe" in his honor.
A Bittersweet Day
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His family said Schwabe remained proud of the singer until the very end.
Schwabe died on the same day Swift married Kelce in a star-studded ceremony at Madison Square Garden.
While he did not live to see the couple exchange vows, his family said he remained incredibly proud of Swift's accomplishments and was genuinely happy for both her and Kelce ahead of their wedding, per the outlet.
