Expand / Collapse search
☰

Buffalo Grove students mourn classmates killed in Wheeling crash

By
Published  May 18, 2023 12:19pm CDT
Wheeling
FOX 32 Chicago

Buffalo Grove students honor friends killed in crash

The Buffalo Grove High School community came together to mourn the four lives lost in Tuesday's tragic crash. All four victims were students at BGHS and best friends.

WHEELING, Ill. - Buffalo Grove High School didn’t have classes Thursday but students felt the need to be together to mourn the deaths of four friends.

Students gathered at the site of a fatal crash on Dundee Road and held a silent memorial on one of Wheeling’s busiest streets.

Students could not hold back the tears, looking at the photographs of friends who died in the crash Tuesday night. Dozens of parents, faculty and teens gathered around the ever-growing memorial. Police provided protection from the traffic, allowing the crowd to be at the place where the teens died.

The victims are: 18-year old Richard De-Ita, 17-year old Kevin Hernandez-Teran, 17-year-old Ricky Barcenas and 16-year-old Jesus Rodriguez.

SUBSCRIBE TO FOX 32 ON YOUTUBE

"We just want to give them whatever we can, emotional support, and say a prayer for them and for their families because there's no bigger tragedy than a young life lost," one onlooker said.

The entire community is in mourning.

"The pain has been almost unbearable the last couple of days but I think as you can see, we are coming together. It’s an incredible community." BGHS Principal Jeff Wardle said.

School was not in session due to a small fire earlier this week. Graduation is next Wednesday. The senior class is planning to do something special to honor the lives lost.

Classmates remember 4 students killed in horrific car crash

Four Buffalo Grove High School students were killed, and three other people were hospitalized in a crash Tuesday night in northwest suburban Wheeling.