|
|
|
| Tue, Dec. 01 - - Mobile - RSS | |
|
|
Two victims remembered at memorial
Riverbend remembers its own
Date published: 6/12/2007
Click the play button.
BY JENN ROWELL Brandon Bates and Hunter Garner will live on with their classmates and teachers at Riverbend High School. Last night, more than 200 students, faculty and staff gathered at the school to remember the two rising juniors who died from injuries sustained in a car accident Sunday night. Bates played junior varsity soccer and Garner ran track. The pair had been friends since they were youngsters and were well known around school. About 30 students spoke about their friends last night, telling funny stories and sharing inside jokes. Principal Steven Fitch switched on a microphone in the common area and students and friends were free to come up and say a few words about their friends. "We're going to get through this," Fitch said. Lowell Garner, Hunter's father, was with his son at INOVA Fairfax hospital until he was taken off life support early Monday. He begged students not to run if pursued by police, and said that even if they get in trouble, their parents would rather have them safe. "Look at my boy, look at my boy. And look at Brandon," he said as students cried and hugged each other. "Hunter was a magnificent human being," he said. Garner liked Chipotle restaurant and kicking around a soccer ball in flip- flops. He was also "head over heels" for his girlfriend and kept everything she ever gave him, Garner's family said. His track coach, Dustin Yudowitch, spoke of the day Garner decided to run the 300-meter hurdles at a meet. "I wasn't with Hunter all the time, but I'd never seen him practice the 300-meter hurdles," he said. Turns out, Garner made it the 174-meter hurdles and ran around a few of the barriers. "I was so mad at Hunter. But I have never laughed so hard," he said. Yudowitch said he was looking forward to getting to know Garner and was sad to see that time cut short. "There's no methodology for how we're going to deal with this," he said.
Read more stories about Spotsylvania Date published: 6/12/2007
Unbelievable
(posted by
RIPBBHB
, Sep. 25, 2007 2:41 pm)
This is all so unreal. I can't believe that these 2 amazing boys are gone. I wish i could just wake up knowing this was all a nightmare, but its not. I am never going to be able to say goodbye to either of them.RIP HUNTER GARNER AND BRANDON BATES. Everyone misses you both dearly.
|
 |
|||
|
|||
