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Adam Sandler joins wave of support for beloved Manchester, N.H., teacher who died

Donald J. "T" Tibbetts taught physical education in Manchester for decades. He is being remembered as a relentlessly positive local "icon."

updated on June 30, 2025

2 minutes to read

A beloved physical education teacher from Manchester, New Hampshire, died recently, prompting an outpouring of love from those who knew him—including a major celebrity with ties to the area.

Adam Sandler paid tribute to Donald J. “T” Tibbetts in a post on social media this week, calling the late teacher “one of the funniest guys” he ever met.

One of the funniest guys I ever met. Sending love to Mr. T’s family! Thanks for all you gave us pal! https://t.co/wuRYEF5sZI
— Adam Sandler (@AdamSandler) June 26, 2025

Tibbetts died at the age of 74 on June 25. He suffered a brain aneurysm the day before, a longtime friend said in a Facebook post.

Known affectionately as “Mr. T” or “Coach T,” Tibbetts was described in his obituary as a “Manchester icon.”

Donald J. “T” Tibbetts. *– Lambert Funeral Home*

“Every student formed a strong bond with ‘Mr. T’ and growing into adults, built long lasting friendships with him. He never forgot a name, any of your accomplishments, or the dumb sh!t you did as a kid and would be the first one to cheer you on with his signature ‘YAHOO’ in either situation,” Tibbetts’s loved ones wrote in his obituary.

He was born in Manchester, served in the Army, raised three daughters with the “love of his life,” and worked for 34 years at Central High School. After retiring in 2007, Tibbetts moved to Florida for most of the year but would spend summers back in the Granite State. He played in multiple bands, enjoyed golfing, always strove to support his family, and reminded them not to take life too seriously, according to his obituary.

Sandler was raised in Manchester and has been known to stop by the city to meet with school children and highlight local businesses. The comedy superstar was back in Manchester this week. It’s unclear if Sandler’s visit was related to Tibbetts’s death.

Local news outlet Manchester Information posted a photo to Facebook showing Sandler with a local and said that he had stopped by the Puritan Backroom, a Manchester restaurant. Puritan Backroom reposted another photo of Sandler visiting the establishment.

Meanwhile, Tibbetts continued to receive an outpouring of affection online. A video made to honor his retirement was shared to Facebook, where it garnered more than 650 reactions and hundreds of other comments. Some users floated the idea of naming a school gym after him.