City Of Bathurst, N.B. Pays Tearful Farewell To 7 Young Victims Of High School Crash

It was a scene of such sadness it was nearly impossible to watch. Almost 5,000 mourners packed a small arena in Bathurst, New Brunswick Wednesday to bid farewell to seven young boys whose lives had barely begun.

They were killed in a terrible accident last weekend, as the members of the local high school basketball team returned from a tournament in Moncton. Some friends wore their school jerseys as a sign of respect, while relatives and pals of those lost paid them a tear-filled goodbye that was both poignant and heartbreaking.

The bishop of the Diocese of Bathurst began the ritual by solemnly intoning the names of all the young victims. “Pray for them every day and pray for yourselves,” pleaded Valery Vinneau. “Think of each one of them and say with hope and faith, Codey, Daniel, Javier, Nick, Justin, Nicky, Nathan, you do not belong to death. You belong to Christ.”

Mayor Stephen Brunet also paid tribute to the fallen sons in a town where everyone knows everybody else, and addressed the parents suffering the most unimaginable loss possible. “You have lost your precious sons. We have lost seven future leaders. For a moment, just imagine in your minds what they could have done.”

Then, one by one, the friends and family summoned the courage to speak about the boys they’ll forever mourn. “He was one of those people who would listen to you even if he didn’t understand what you were going through,” Emily Cleland noted of her brother Nathan. “He actually preferred to listen. My brother was the strong, silent type. But when he had something to say, it was always something meaningful and witty.”

Dale Branch remembered his son as a kid who never gave up. “Codey was definitely a young man who had thoughts and ideas of what he wanted to do from a very young age,” he recalled, noting his boy had decided to change schools last year so he could play for the Bathurst High team. “We reminded him of the challenges he would face changing schools in Grade 12. But he was determined to meet the challenges head-on, and meet them he did.”

Nick Quinn’s soccer coach still refuses to believe the player he knew is gone. “Nicky led a full life — even though it was short, it was a life full of laughter and love,” praised Alex Proctor. “When I first heard the news I simply couldn’t believe it. Nicky was too young, too full of promise. During the short time he graced this earth with his presence; he made so many people happy and accomplished so much.”

The arena was so full, some 700 mourners were forced to watch the proceedings via a video feed from a nearby facility. All businesses across the city were closed for the day in tribute to the boys.

The victims were killed when their 15-passenger van slid into a tractor-trailer on an icy road late at night. Their coach was driving and he lost his wife as the eighth fatal victim in the tragedy. Her funeral is scheduled for Thursday.

To leave your own message of condolence to the families on a special Facebook page, click here.

Previous Stories:

Safety Concerns Over Type Of Vehicle Involved In New Brunswick Crash

Students Return To School After Horrific Accident

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Sketches of the seven members of the Bathurst High School basketball team:

Nathan Cleland, 17

One of the team’s leading players, Cleland planned to take a year off after graduating in June before going to Holland College in Prince Edward Island for firefighting or emergency response training. He enjoyed paintballing, playing video games and had an extensive collection of Montreal Canadiens paraphernalia.

Quote: “He was one of those people who would listen to you even if he didn’t understand what you were going through. He always knew exactly how to cheer you up just from listening.” — Emily Cleland, sister.

Javier “Javy” Acevedo, 17

His friends says soccer ran through Acevedo’s blood. He was a big fan of English soccer club Arsenal and Brazil. Known for his unusual dance skills, friends say it was hard to know if he was being serious or was just trying to make them laugh.

Quote: “You planned to go to university to fulfil your dream of becoming a doctor; a good job so that you could support your family and take care of your parents. You were always thinking of others.” — Tanya Nguyen, friend.

Daniel Hains, 17

Hains loved music, played several instruments, but the guitar was his favourite. According to friends, he hated rap music: “50 cent wasn’t worth two cents to Daniel.” He also played rugby.

Quote: “He stood 6-foot-3 and towered over most of us. I think I know why that was. It took a body that big to hold a heart so huge. It took a body that size to hold a spirit like Dan’s.” — Emma Mackey, friend

Codey Branch, 17

In addition to basketball, Branch also played hockey and mini handball. His father says for many years his son’s first love was hockey, but he gave it up to play basketball. He called his son “an independent thinker.”

Quote: “Codey was definitely a young man who had thoughts and ideas of what he wanted to do from a very young age.” — Dale Branch, father.

Nick Quinn, 16

Quinn is remembered as an accomplished student and athlete who excelled at soccer and was a member of the school’s track and field team. He was nicknamed “Captain Supercool” by soccer coach Alex Proctor, who said that after being named team captain, Quinn wore a red cape to every training session after he came to the conclusion that being captain was like being a superhero.

Quote: “Nicky was kind and a caring person who was always there for his friends and family, someone who could always be counted on.” — Alex Proctor, soccer coach.

Justin Cormier, 17

In addition to basketball, Cormier also played volleyball and enjoyed paintball. His passion was skateboarding. After graduation in June, he planned to go into engineering or the police force. His cousin says Justin loved his junk food, and would argue over just about anything.

Quote: “I think Justin’s life philosophy could be summed up in one of his common phrases: ‘Don’t suck, ’cause if you suck, life sucks,’ and he chose not to suck at anything, be it basketball, skateboarding, paintball, magic tricks, guitar hero, poker, opening certain combination locks, and yes, even Rubik’s cubes.” — Miranda McLean, cousin

Nicholas Kelly, 15

Best known for his love of nature, music and most of all, sports, Kelly played soccer and volleyball but his passion was basketball. He also collected coins, a family tradition handed down by his grandfather and father.

Quote: “All of this made of him a dream student to his teachers, a dream athlete to his coaches and a dream friend to many. That’s why his parents and all of us are so proud of him.” — Christine Blanchard-Robichaud, godmother.

List Source: The Canadian Press