Taylor Swift‘s favorite teacher died the day of her massive wedding to NFL superstar Travis Kelce. According to new reports, Kirk Schwabe, who taught criminal justice to the pop star in 2004 and later became her personal security guard, died from his battle with metastatic kidney cancer on Friday, July 3. He was 69.
Schwabe’s family confirmed that the 69-year-old passed away on Friday—the same day as Swift’s wedding to Kelce in New York City, according to The Telegraph.
His wife, Jane, told the outlet that he saw Swift “like he did his daughters,” while his daughter said the former high school teacher “had a remarkable way of making people feel seen, valued, and protected.”
“Whether you were family, one of his students, or someone like Taylor whose path crossed his, he cared deeply about people. That’s the legacy he leaves behind,” they added.
Schwabe was a Chicago police officer before he became a criminal justice teacher at Hendersonville High School in Nashville. Years later, Schwabe quit his job to become Swift’s personal security guard right around the time her career started taking off.
Schwabe Recalls Having A Deeply Personal Conversation With Swift Early In Her Career
In an interview with The Telegraph, the former police officer said he left his job as Swift’s security guard behind due to the job’s demanding nature.
“I said, ‘Taylor, look, I’m burnt out, I can’t keep up. I think you’re better getting a professional security guard to come and protect you,’” he recalled.
There wasn’t any “Bad Blood” between them, though.
He later recalled telling the singer that she was a “superstar” and could do anything she put her mind to.
“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 said.
Schwabe’s Daughter, Sarah, Posted About His Health On Social Media
Schwabe’s daughter, Sarah Gordon, posted about her father’s health on Facebook just two days ago, revealing the former high school teacher had been moved to hospice after his health “declined rapidly.”
“I love my dad deeply. Watching someone you admire slowly lose his health and memory has been incredibly hard. Even through all of this, he is still the same caring man who has impacted so many lives,” she wrote.
More About Swift’s Wedding With Kelce
According to previous reports from The Blast, Swift married Kelce in a massive wedding ceremony at New York City’s Madison Square Garden.
There were over 1,000 guests, from family and friends to major celebrities such as Bradley Cooper and Jay-Z.
Actor Adam Sandler officiated the wedding, and Swift’s brother, Austin, served as her Man of Honor. Kelce’s brother, Jason Kelce, served as his Best Man.
Details about the event have been sparse, but it’s been confirmed that the two A-listers walked down the aisle in custom Christian Dior and Christian Louboutin red-bottom shoes.
The wedding comes just under a year after the pair were engaged in a floral-filled garden in August 2025.
Before the wedding, Swift spoke with Jimmy Fallon about her engagement ring, saying she looks at it “constantly” and is instantly reminded of her love for Kelce.
“Because he’s just my favorite person I’ve ever met, no offense to everyone else I’ve ever met,” she said. “The fact that this is the person I get to hang out with every day forever, that’s the whole thing of it, that’s the win, and this represents that.”
How Taylor Swift Ensured She Wasn’t Stressed With Wedding Planning
In 2025, Swift said that she was actually excited to plan her wedding with Kelce, adding that she refused to be stressed out about it.
“I think the only stressful weddings are the ones where you have a small amount [of guests] and people are on the bubble, right? And you have to evaluate and asses your relationship with them to see if they should be there,” she said. “I’m not gonna do that.”
According to Swift, “anyone” she’s ever “talked to” received an invite.
The same couldn’t be said for Kelce, though. The Blast reported on his former teammate, Chase Daniel, who joked that he was stunned to learn he hadn’t been invited to the ceremony, considering he threw Kelce his first-ever NFL touchdown.
“Can’t believe my invite to Taylor & Travis’ wedding never came…” Daniel posted. “Feels like throwing Travis Kelce his first NFL TD should’ve at least earned me a seat at the kids’ table.”
