Vigil Held To Mourn 3 High School Students Killed In Crash
WEST BROOKFIELD (CBS) – A community came together Wednesday night to mourn the sudden death of three Quaboag Regional Middle/High School students.
A candlelight vigil was held at the West Brookfield common to honor 14-year-old Jaclyn Desrosiers, 16-year-old Lena Noonan, and 15-year-old Christian Congelos.
"If you're not from here, you don't really get it. West Brookfield is an absolutely amazing town," one attendee said.
The students, who were identified by family and friends, were killed in a crash Tuesday around 3:30 p.m. on Douglas Road.
The car they were driving in veered off the road, hit a tree and rolled over.
"The last time I saw her was 7:30 I dropped her off at school, gave her a hug and kiss and told her I loved her," said John Desrosiers about his daughter through tears.
Desrosiers said Jaclyn was on student council and ran for the cross country team.
"An honors student, great kid. Would do anything for anybody," he said.
According to Desrosiers, Jaclyn was in the car with her boyfriend, Congelos, and Noonan was driving.
Noonan's basketball coach came forward to praise her energy and spirit.
"She was just being to discover who she really was," Noonan's coach said.
Congelos was a player on the school's soccer team.
"He's always going to be in my heart," said one of his teammates.
Grief counselors were on hand Wednesday at a Warren high school.
West Brookfield Police Chief Tom O'Donnell knew two of the students killed in the crash, and said all three were friends with his children.
O'Donnell said the community is still "pretty numb" and trying to wrap their heads around the tragedy.
"The two that I knew personally were just great, fun kids," said O'Donnell. "You couldn't ask for better people. The other child I didn't know personally, but were friends with one of my children and they thought the world of them."
James Gagner of the Warren Board of Selectmen spoke about the difficult time in the community.
"They were great kids. It's very, very difficult to wrap your brain around it," said Gagner.
WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Ben Parker reports
