Aspiring medical assistants in South Fort Myers received some tough news Tuesday afternoon. They learned the Heritage College and Heritage Institute would close their doors for good.
"They just ripped the rug out from under people," said Tiffany Miller, who was on track to finish her program this coming March.
The school closing caught students off guard.
"We got new vending machines this week, there was no sign or indication that anything was wrong. I mean we were in class last night," said Miller.
Students were also frustrated about how they found out about the decision. A piece of paper posted on the school doors.
"I didn't believe it, I started crying, I'm like no way, this is a joke. Nope, they locked the doors and we aren't going to school today," said Ellie Failla, who was studying to be a medical assistant.
Teachers found out shortly before the doors would lock.
"We were called into a meeting at three and said our doors will be locked at 4," said Amanda Teckenbarock, who was one of the instructors at the school.
Teckenbarock says some of her fellow instructors stuck around to comfort students who showed up and found out the hard way.
"I will help them anyway I can. I feel like they are my kids. I took it very personal when I had to tell them they didn't have a school to come to," she said.
But, with a recent trend of tech schools closing, students FOX 4 spoke with don't know what to do next.
"It's just intimidating because we don't want to go to another school and have this happen again. It's the third school that this has happened to. It is ridiculous we are trying to get an education, do they want us broke," said Failla.
