Freedom High School is coping with the loss of a student who died after a weekend wreck.
Grief counselors have spent the past two days at the school since the death of sophomore Ciro Amaya, Principal Ken Pritchard said in a message to parents.
Amaya, 17, died at 5:30 a.m. Sunday at Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte from head trauma received in a Friday evening wreck.
Pritchard told The News Herald on Tuesday that the student's death rocked the Burke County high school.
“I am deeply saddened by the loss of Ciro,” Pritchard wrote in an e-mail. "It’s so hard to experience the death of a young person — student, son, friend... Ciro was very well-liked, so the impact of his death is being felt by many Freedom students.”
Amber Fox, Amaya's English teacher, fondly remembered him.
“Ciro was a great student and a great person," she said. “He was a bright spot in my day and in the day of his classmates. He always came to class with a smile on his face and I could tell he was very well-liked by his peers.”
“He made meaningful contributions to class,” Fox continued. “Even though he was quiet in nature, he had recently done very well on the N.C. writing test. He was the kind of student every teacher hopes for in their class.”
News of his death stunned her and Amaya's classmates.
"I was completely shocked when I learned of the accident and his death," Fox said. "I hoped it was some sort of horrible rumor or mistake.”
“I has been a difficult couple of days so far, but we are getting through it together,” she continued. “We have tried to focus on remembering the good things about Ciro. We have made cards and written letters for Ciro's family in class.”
Fox credited the school's psychiatrist with easing the healing process in the wake of Amaya's death.
Pritchard said this tragic experience can be a lesson to other teens.
“Please realize that you are not invincible and that life can end in a second for you, just like anyone else,” he said. “Be careful, wear your seatbelt and tell your parents every day that you love them.”
For parents, Pritchard says, the lesson is a little different.
“Just keep loving your children no matter what, unconditionally, and make sure they know that,” he said. “Know their friends, know where they’re going when they leave you and don’t allow them to take unnecessary risks.”
There was a private funeral service for the family on Tuesday at Kirksey Funeral Home.
Friends wishing to express their condolences can stop by the funeral home today and Thursday.
The Morganton Department of Public Safety is still investigating the wreck.
According to the accident report, Tyler Dean Hastings, 17, of 363 Conley Road in Morganton was driving a white 1999 Chevrolet SUV northeast on Jamestown Road when he lost control of the vehicle and ran off the right side of the road. The vehicle overturned twice and threw out Amaya, Hasting’s passenger.
Police said Amaya was not wearing a seatbelt.
Maj. Billy Bradshaw of the Morganton Department of Public Safety said he was to meet with the district attorney’s office and could know as soon as today whether charges will be filed.
Email
Facebook
Google
Twitter
Favorites
More
Advertisement