During the Zoom reading in November, Marvin’s former student Naomi Shihab Nye said farewell to her teacher, reading aloud his poem, “The Last Thing I Say.”

“I hope you can feel some of the love and care you’ve sent out into the wide world coming back to wrap around you now,” she said. “I hope you know how strong it is.”

Nathan Bell sang and played his guitar. Jason Bell and dozens of others read that day, sharing their gratitude and stories. Marvin Bell addressed them all at the end, promising, as was his character, to reach out to each person who had read to thank them personally. The laptop he used that day still sits open on the desk in his study.

“Thank you,” he told them with a humble nod to his camera. “You’ve overfilled my heart.”