PULASKI COUNTY, Va. – The students of Pulaski County have returned to school after Labor Day weekend, and they have all come together to support the four teens who were in a car accident Friday night.
“They had all four been in a pretty bad car accident,” said Chase Lawrence, senior at Pulaski County High School. “It’s not a good feeling, especially when you don’t know.”
Over the weekend, the community held a prayer service for the four boys injured: Kaleb Sartin, Aden Hunter, Connor Whitaker and Johnny Anderson.
I talked to one of the students that helped lead the prayer over the weekend and he said when he heard the news, he knew the community needed to come together to support them.
“We did just a song of worship and you can just sense the presence of God,” Lawrence said.
I then talked to one teacher who has taught all four boys and she said they are well known and liked in the high school—so it has affected almost everyone
“You see these boys on Friday, they’re all there, they’re all happy, excited and then to get that news on Friday night, it was just a shock,” said Kristen Hayes, P.E. teacher and Fellowship of Christian Athletes sponsor at the high school.
But it didn’t stop after the weekend passed. Ahead of classes Tuesday, Pulaski County High School students held a prayer circle outside of the school to keep the families and students in their thoughts all day.
“Not only did I see how much our student body cares about our other students, but it really showed me how much God, or all the things God is doing, in our school,” said Jeremiah Turner, a senior.
Turner grew up with the four boys and led the prayer outside of the school. He said when he heard everything late Friday night, he couldn’t believe it.
“It even hurt worse when they gave me the list of the names of who was all involved and I was like ‘there is no way that is real,’” Turner said. “I honestly thought they were dead. Like there is no way they survive that crash.”
He said seeing the number of students who came out whether to pray, or even show respect, was great to see.