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Vigil held for 2 Bennett teens killed in rollover crash

Posted at 9:42 PM, Jan 25, 2017
and last updated 2017-01-26 01:33:39-05

BENNETT, Colo. -- Hundreds of people came together Wednesday evening after a rollover crash claimed the lives of two teens and injured three others Tuesday near the town of Bennett. 

More than a hundred friends and neighbors gathered to light candles and write notes for Kiyure Gross and Jesse Wilson, both of whom were killed in the crash.

“Everybody is going to miss him because they loved him so much,” said Wilson’s grandmother, Barbara.

Barbara Wilson was shaken during the vigil and told Denver7 she will forever remember her grandson's gentle heart and love of animals.

“I’m going to miss him. He was such a sweetheart, and you never knew what to expect because he was always full of surprises,” said Wilson.

James Dickerson, 16, Ciara Bingham, 15 and 18-year-old Malachi Clifford are recovering at the hospital.

Paige Toft is a math teacher at Bennett High and taught several of the teens.

“It was really hard today to do roll call and they weren’t there,” said Toft.

Police said speed -- not drugs or alcohol -- is to blame for Tuesday’s afternoon’s crash on 38th Avenue near Penrith Road.

The driver of the crash survived.

“They were all friends. They were really loving caring great friends of mine,” said Marie Cridlebaugh.

It’s hard for many of the teens to wrap their mind around this tragedy at such a young age, but friends said they are learning a lesson about how fragile life truly is.   

“Seeing this, I think that we can all come together as a community and help each other recover,” said Diloni Martinez.

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