This week’s total solar eclipse was a long-awaited event for one teacher and his former students, spanning over four decades of anticipation.

Back in the 1970s, Patrick Moriarty, a fresh-faced 22-year-old earth science teacher, made a pact with his ninth-grade class in Rochester, New York. They vowed to reunite to witness the next total solar eclipse that would grace their hometown.

While eclipses occur approximately every 18 months, the path of totality—where the Sun and Moon align perfectly—is a rare phenomenon. Often, it traverses over remote areas or the sea, but occasionally, it graces heavily populated regions.

This year marked the fulfillment of Moriarty’s promise, over 40 years in the making. Gathering with more than 100 of his former students, the retired teacher kept his word as they came together to witness the celestial spectacle.

Reflecting on the commitment he made decades ago, Moriarty, now 68, recalled his instruction to his students: “See that one on April 8, 2024? Circle that one. We’re gonna meet that day.”

Throughout his 16 years of teaching earth science classes, he reiterated this message, urging each successive class to mark the date in their calendars.

Times have evolved significantly since Moriarty’s initial promise. While he initially planned to communicate through a local newspaper, he adapted to modern technology, creating a Facebook group two years ago to organize the reunion.

As the total solar eclipse unfolded on Monday, Moriarty was greeted by a sea of familiar faces—his former students, now adults. It was a moment of affirmation for the retired teacher, realizing the impact he had on his students’ lives.

Seeing his students, now bald or graying, approach him with the same reverence they held in their youth, Moriarty marveled at the passage of time and the enduring connection forged in his classroom.

“It was so interesting seeing them walking up bald or with gray hair, and looking at me like, ‘You’re still my teacher’,” Moriarty reflected, “and I could see in their faces, in their adult faces now, what they looked like when they were 14.”