Roman Mazur owned a dance studio in Buffalo Grove, where he taught people of all ages and skill levels folk dancing and ballroom.
Elena Golub was one of his students.
"During our last practice, he wanted to show us a new move, and he basically just lifted me in the air, so much strength he had," Golub said.
When Mazur wasn't dancing, he was still on the go.
His wife, Tatyana, said through a translator that he walked and jogged up to 4 miles every morning.
"He would record how many miles he walked around on that day, what his heart rate was, what his blood pressure was," Tatyana said.
Mazur was out walking Monday morning when he was hit and killed by a car at Buffalo Grove Road and Larraway Drive; the driver was not cited.
Mazur's family is calling it a tragic accident.
"She saw two police cars outside of her house, and her heart dropped down, and she realized bad news coming," the translator said.
Tatyana, also a professional choreographer, and Mazur emigrated to the US from their native Ukraine in the late 90s.
Dmytro Zayats said Mazur had a special talent for making people enthusiastic about dance, and hopes his students will continue.
'It would be good way to keep his memory in our hearts. We don't stop what we used to do while he was alive," Zayats said.
Classes were held at the dance studio every Wednesday.
This Wednesday, students will meet at 7:30 p.m., but, this time, they'll meet in honor of their teacher, and share memories.
They'll talk about how his love of dance brought so many together.