Dozens gather to mourn 4 Buffalo Grove High School students killed in Wheeling crash
WHEELING, Ill. (CBS) – Flowers and candles lined a sidewalk in Wheeling beside the intersection where four teens died in a car crash earlier this week.
They were students and soccer players at Buffalo Grove High School. CBS 2's Noel Brennan went to Wheeling where dozens of students, teachers, and staff gathered to say goodbye.
So many students, teachers, and staff from Buffalo Grove High School showed up Thursday morning, that Wheeling police had to help with traffic control.
Visitors were still stopping by throughout Thursday, adding to the mass of flowers and candles at the busy corner.
"The pain is almost unbearable," one visitor said.
"It was so unexpected that no one really knew it was like, real," said Leila Rodriguez.
The busy corner became a memorial in Wheeling.
"Everyone knew to come here either way just to show their love," Rodriguez said.
Leila and fellow students from Buffalo Grove High School gathered to grieve. They're mourning the loss of four teens who died after their SUV crashed into cars and a light pole.
Ricky Barcenas, Richard Deita, Kevin Hernandez-Teran, and Jesus Rodriguez all died in the crash.
Leila said she briefly dated Jesus, but they stayed friends until the night she lost him.
"It was just horrible," she said.
As cars on Dundee Road crossed Schoenbeck Road, the silence from students stood out. They spoke mostly through hugs, glances, and tears.
"Not really much is said," Leila said. "You can tell by people's faces and the way they posture. You can tell by their soul or by how they're dressed that they really are hurt."
Classes were canceled on Thursday at the high school because of an unrelated fire at the building. But part of the school was still open to students who wanted to visit with counselors.
The school principal and his staff shoulder the burden of leading, but share the pain.
"We need each other right now and we're coming together to show that's really happening," said Principal Jeff Wardle.
On Thursday night, a meeting was scheduled about emergency repairs at the school, but no doubt all minds will be on the students lost this week.
A fifth person who was inside the SUV with the teen survived the crash, but they were seriously hurt.