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Don't drive stupid
They were too young to die, barely old enough to drive.
And their deaths left family and friends with a terrible sorrow and a need to find solace.
Some of those who knew the four teenagers who died Thursday in a car-truck collision in Delta turned for help to the school the boys attended.
Principal Raymond Holme of Delta secondary, which was closed for spring break, said parents of other students saddened by the news called to ask for help in getting their children through their grief.
Students also called -- asking to speak to teachers -- and teachers called, asking what they could do.
That's when Holme decided to open the school Friday, in advance of Monday's scheduled end of the spring holiday, so friends of the dead teenagers would have a place to meet and talk -- among themselves and with teachers and counsellors.
"It's tragic and it's difficult for all of us," Holme said. "I think of the poor families losing the four kids. It must be just really, really difficult for them."
Three of the four victims of the crash were identified Friday as Michael Warren Parker, 16, Spencer McBride, 16, and Kevin Sanghera, 17. The Vancouver Sun is not releasing the names of the two other students because not all members of their families have been notified.
The crash occurred after the car containing the five childhood friends collided with a tractor-trailer in a crash that tore the car in half.
Two of the passengers died at the scene of the accident Thursday afternoon, and two died later in hospital.
The driver survived and is in stable condition at Vancouver Hospital. It is believed he had received his licence just days before the accident and was driving his mother's car.
Constable Kelly Young of the Delta police department said the driver of the tractor-trailer was not injured.
"It's still under investigation, but we know that the passenger car was southbound on 57B street and the truck and trailer unit was eastbound on Deltaport Way and the tractor unit struck the vehicle on the passenger side of the car," Young said.
The intersection is controlled by a stop sign on 57B.
Asked about witness reports that the car was trying to beat a train, Young said any comments about the cause of the accident would be purely speculative.
"We're not prepared to talk about it," he said. "It's too early to tell. The investigation has to take its course."
Holme said all five of the students were exceptional athletes, good students, and known by teachers and fellow classmates as nice kids.
On Monday, Holme said, a district counselling team will be on hand to work with the school's own counsellors.
"We'll have an early morning meeting with our staff to talk about the situation and how to handle it."
Holme said teachers will be talking to their students, and any children requiring additional help will be able to visit two or three counselling centres set up in the school, which has 1,600 students.
At the scene of the crash Friday, family and friends laid flowers, lit candles and clung to each other in grief at the loss of their loved ones. A Reese's chocolate bar, the favourite candy of one of the victims, was left among roses and daisies in one bouquet.
Rick Lucertini took his nine-year-old daughter Sunita to the crash site and memorial to give her an early lesson on driving safely.
"I wanted her to have an idea of what a real accident is like and what it can lead to," said Lucertini, who also was in a bad car accident once.
"I hope she'll remember," he said. "We had a bad crash and we made it. These people didn't, and she should never get in a car that's being driven the way her dad used to drive."
Lucertini said he and Sunita were having breakfast at McDonald's in Ladner when one of the workers there began crying, telling them her best friend's boyfriend died in the crash.
"I felt sorry and sad for the people who had died and it was scary that they were working at McDonald's because we were at McDonald's and people were talking about it there," said Sunita Lucertini.
McDonald's human resources spokesman Steve Rutherford said two of the teens killed worked at the Ladner restaurant.
"It's an extraordinarily tragic event," said Rutherford. "We will support the people here in every way we can, including time off for counselling and bringing in victim services workers."
Groups of the teenagers' friends gathered at the school, the crash site, the McDonald's and at the local leisure centre, to share their memories.
Lauren White, the best friend of the driver's sister, said he had had his licence for only a few days.
"It doesn't feel like they're gone. They're going to call to do something," she said.
Another friend, Brittany Easey, said she believes speeding was a factor in the crash.
"I just wish we could learn to slow down and they could have known they were not invincible," said Easey. "You are not the ruler of the road. Cars are bigger than you."
Dean Demick, who coached the victims in soccer and baseball, said he hopes people will remember the names and faces of the victims and that parents will take a tough stance about letting their kids drive.
"We want people to remember and say no to their kids when they are going out and want to drive and when they want to have five kids in the car," Demick said. "We don't want to be going through this with any more of our kids."
The deaths of four young men who had so much more left to accomplish have left huge holes in the lives of those around them, said Krista Wales, 17.
"I always used to say how lucky I was that no one around me has ever suffered or died young," Wales said. "I won't ever be able to say that again."
Source: VancouverSun.com
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One of the guys that died was one of my long time friends. Damn sad this happened. Just had to share this with you.
And their deaths left family and friends with a terrible sorrow and a need to find solace.
Some of those who knew the four teenagers who died Thursday in a car-truck collision in Delta turned for help to the school the boys attended.
Principal Raymond Holme of Delta secondary, which was closed for spring break, said parents of other students saddened by the news called to ask for help in getting their children through their grief.
Students also called -- asking to speak to teachers -- and teachers called, asking what they could do.
That's when Holme decided to open the school Friday, in advance of Monday's scheduled end of the spring holiday, so friends of the dead teenagers would have a place to meet and talk -- among themselves and with teachers and counsellors.
"It's tragic and it's difficult for all of us," Holme said. "I think of the poor families losing the four kids. It must be just really, really difficult for them."
Three of the four victims of the crash were identified Friday as Michael Warren Parker, 16, Spencer McBride, 16, and Kevin Sanghera, 17. The Vancouver Sun is not releasing the names of the two other students because not all members of their families have been notified.
The crash occurred after the car containing the five childhood friends collided with a tractor-trailer in a crash that tore the car in half.
Two of the passengers died at the scene of the accident Thursday afternoon, and two died later in hospital.
The driver survived and is in stable condition at Vancouver Hospital. It is believed he had received his licence just days before the accident and was driving his mother's car.
Constable Kelly Young of the Delta police department said the driver of the tractor-trailer was not injured.
"It's still under investigation, but we know that the passenger car was southbound on 57B street and the truck and trailer unit was eastbound on Deltaport Way and the tractor unit struck the vehicle on the passenger side of the car," Young said.
The intersection is controlled by a stop sign on 57B.
Asked about witness reports that the car was trying to beat a train, Young said any comments about the cause of the accident would be purely speculative.
"We're not prepared to talk about it," he said. "It's too early to tell. The investigation has to take its course."
Holme said all five of the students were exceptional athletes, good students, and known by teachers and fellow classmates as nice kids.
On Monday, Holme said, a district counselling team will be on hand to work with the school's own counsellors.
"We'll have an early morning meeting with our staff to talk about the situation and how to handle it."
Holme said teachers will be talking to their students, and any children requiring additional help will be able to visit two or three counselling centres set up in the school, which has 1,600 students.
At the scene of the crash Friday, family and friends laid flowers, lit candles and clung to each other in grief at the loss of their loved ones. A Reese's chocolate bar, the favourite candy of one of the victims, was left among roses and daisies in one bouquet.
Rick Lucertini took his nine-year-old daughter Sunita to the crash site and memorial to give her an early lesson on driving safely.
"I wanted her to have an idea of what a real accident is like and what it can lead to," said Lucertini, who also was in a bad car accident once.
"I hope she'll remember," he said. "We had a bad crash and we made it. These people didn't, and she should never get in a car that's being driven the way her dad used to drive."
Lucertini said he and Sunita were having breakfast at McDonald's in Ladner when one of the workers there began crying, telling them her best friend's boyfriend died in the crash.
"I felt sorry and sad for the people who had died and it was scary that they were working at McDonald's because we were at McDonald's and people were talking about it there," said Sunita Lucertini.
McDonald's human resources spokesman Steve Rutherford said two of the teens killed worked at the Ladner restaurant.
"It's an extraordinarily tragic event," said Rutherford. "We will support the people here in every way we can, including time off for counselling and bringing in victim services workers."
Groups of the teenagers' friends gathered at the school, the crash site, the McDonald's and at the local leisure centre, to share their memories.
Lauren White, the best friend of the driver's sister, said he had had his licence for only a few days.
"It doesn't feel like they're gone. They're going to call to do something," she said.
Another friend, Brittany Easey, said she believes speeding was a factor in the crash.
"I just wish we could learn to slow down and they could have known they were not invincible," said Easey. "You are not the ruler of the road. Cars are bigger than you."
Dean Demick, who coached the victims in soccer and baseball, said he hopes people will remember the names and faces of the victims and that parents will take a tough stance about letting their kids drive.
"We want people to remember and say no to their kids when they are going out and want to drive and when they want to have five kids in the car," Demick said. "We don't want to be going through this with any more of our kids."
The deaths of four young men who had so much more left to accomplish have left huge holes in the lives of those around them, said Krista Wales, 17.
"I always used to say how lucky I was that no one around me has ever suffered or died young," Wales said. "I won't ever be able to say that again."
Source: VancouverSun.com
-------------------------
One of the guys that died was one of my long time friends. Damn sad this happened. Just had to share this with you.
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