Community members are mourning the loss of a 13-year-old boy who was killed in a devastating house fire in Margate on Thursday afternoon.

Relatives say Gianni Jackson, a student at Margate Middle School, had recently moved to South Florida and was known for his bright smile and kind heart. His former teacher, Sarah Thomas, remembered him as a special student with a magnetic personality.

“Oh my God, this was the sweetest kid anyone could ever meet,” Thomas said. “Gianni was a kid that would fill up a room with his smile. Had the biggest smile.”

Thomas said Gianni quickly became popular among classmates and stood out for his joyful nature.

“Gianni was definitely the ladies’ man,” she said. “He had all the girls saying, ‘Gianni is my man.’”

Gianni had Down syndrome, but Thomas said he

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