Former Webster teacher reunites with students for solar eclipse

Rochester, N.Y. (WHAM) — 46 years ago, a Webster teacher promised his students they would reunite for the 2024 total solar eclipse. Patrick Moriarty had hundreds of people come to his house Monday to enjoy the spectacle in the sky.

"It's not about the eclipse," Moriarty said. "It's about you guys being here to share this time with my family, me and each other."

Moriarty was 22 years old in 1978 when he promised his earth science students that they would reunite April 8, 2024.

"I said to the kids, 'Hey, why don't you go ahead and circle that eclipse and we will get together,'" Moriarty said. "And after I did that, I did it for the next 16 years with all of my classes that I taught earth science."

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Moriarty said he created a Facebook page to spread the word, but a lot of students remembered what he said in class. More than 100 people showed up to Moriarty's eclipse gathering Monday.

"It's not about the eclipse anymore to me," Moriarty said. "It's all about the reunions."

Kevin Thompson and Chuck O'Brien were in Moriarty's class together back in 1982. They said they are grateful Moriarty kept his promise to reunite.

"The longest homework assignment in the history of any teacher," Thompson said.

"He wasn't just a great teacher," O'Brien said. "He was an inspirational teacher."

Another 1982 student, Nick Stathis, drove five hours from Westchester for the gathering. He said Moriarty inspired him to become an earth science teacher.

"It's a tribute to both the eclipse but also the power of teaching," Stathis said. "Both Mr. and Mrs. Moriarty affected a lot of people."

While clouds covered the view of the eclipse in Rochester, the group took joy in being together again for the once-in -a-lifetime event.

"Everybody got so quiet and let the environment around them take over," Moriarty said. "And it just seemed very magical."

Moriarty joked that he would hold another viewing party for the next total solar eclipse scheduled for 2044 in Wisconsin.

"Who knows! Who knows," Moriarty said. "I wasn't even sure about this one, to tell you the truth."