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LEXINGTON, N.C. – A school principal and close friend is remembering Tricia Creasey, the Lexington woman who's story was featured on an “Extreme Makeover Home Edition” show in 2010.

The 39-year-old Creasey lost her six-and-a-half-year battle with colon cancer Thursday afternoon.

Creasey's name can still be found on a classroom door at E. Lawson Brown Middle School in Thomasville. She taught science and social studies there for 15 years until last fall when her illness forced her to give up the career she loved so much.

"I've never known a teacher that had the passion for teaching that Tricia had to the point, to the degree that she wanted to teach so badly,” said Principal Randy Holmes. "She wanted to be here with her children. She wanted to teach so badly that she actually performed her job from a wheelchair for the last two or three weeks on the job."

A friend nominated the Creasey family for Extreme Makeover when mounting medical bills prevented Creasey, her husband William, and three daughters from doing repairs on their home.

In 15 years at Brown Middle, Tricia Creasey touched the lives of hundreds of children.

"She taught my child when he came through this school, so, I know her from the perspective of a parent and what his child comes home to say about his teachers as well as the perspective of being her supervisor,” said Holmes.

Friends and family held a vigil for Creasey Thursday night. And counselors were on hand at Brown Middle and her children's schools Friday to help students cope with their grief.

"We'll do everything we can to try to get ourselves back on our feet, headed in a positive direction,” said Holmes.

A supervisor, colleague and, most importantly, a friend, Holmes saw Creasey nearly every day until her death and said she remained determined to beat the disease that took her life.

"She never wavered all the way till the very end and she was going to beat that thing. Anyway, she's not sick anymore,” said Holmes.