'We need each other to heal': Prairie Central community comes together after 2 teens die

After the tragic death of two Prairie Central High School seniors, the community has started its move to recovery.

Dylan Bazzell, 18, and Drew Fehr, 17, died Sunday night in a sledding accident at Copper Mountain Ski Resort in Summit County, Colorado. The recovery began Monday at Fairbury's First Baptist Church, which is located just north of the high school.

“The kids just need a place to be together,” Rev. Daryl Evans told the Daily Leader and The Blade on Tuesday. “We had three of our pastors here and the (school) administration had a grief counselor come. I thought it was an amazing day. The town of Fairbury just rallies around itself. It helped make the best of an awful day.”

“We've always been a community that's been very close,” Prairie Central Superintendent Paula Crane said Tuesday, adding that the community encompasses all the towns as one. “When someone loses a child like that, we all lose that child. I feel that personal loss from everyone. It's very personal to everyone.

“It's heartbreaking, but it's nice to see that people are being supportive of one another. We need each other to heal.”

The grieving process began immediately after word spread of the accident. Memorials have been placed on social media and at the gathering at the church on Monday.

“I think we had a good day with the kids, a good support day,” Crane said. “We're trying to support the families as best we can.”

More:'He asked me if he was dying': Mother shares terrifying tale of child's battle with strep

'I didn't want to believe it'

Andrew Quain, who coached Bazzell and Fehr in football, said he was at the church all day Monday.

“I didn't want to believe it — I really was not trying to believe it was true,” Quain said of learning of the passing of the two student-athletes. “Then at the church, it was good. There were coaches, teachers, community members, a good handful of students coming and going throughout the day. The church ladies and community members brought food in, they did a great job. The church did such a good job.

“Personally, all day I didn't feel anything other than disbelief and shock. Once the kids cleared out, it kind of hit me. Reading articles and you see their name in the paper and seeing the pictures in the paper, it becomes real.”

“We opened about 8 or so,” Evans said. “(Assistant coach) Jeff Curl brought about 10 of the players and most of the guys stayed until 3:30-4 o'clock.”

Evans said that there were at least 200 people who passed through the church Monday. Many reached out to each other and some took part in activities. Some also kept to themselves.

There were also community residents who stopped by to drop off food and offer what help they could provide. Meat Shoppe provided pulled pork and Marchelloni's provided pizza.

“I do know our community has surrounded these kids and been really supportive of them,” Crane said.

“We were just trying to do anything we can to help,” Evans added.

The reason for the gathering was the loss of two young men who were known in the community as very good athletes and respected high school students. The community is close-knit with strong religious support. It's a community where most families are familiar with one another and where word of such tragic events spreads quickly.

More:‘Love heals’: How a mantra propels Springfield’s Rev. Margaret Ann Jessup forward

“It's just a shock to everyone,” Crane said. “When it's kids like this, it's even more of a shock. I think everybody feels that heartbreak, we share that as human beings. We share that responsibility for our children and this community has always been very good at that.”

When the students are giving of themselves, as these two were, tragic events like the one that took their lives hit even harder.

“It's a tremendous loss for the school, the community, the entire district,” Quain said. “The impact that they had not only in this building but across the district. You saw it after games, kids wanted their autographs. They were just so gracious with their time for those young kids. That was the same with their peers at the high school. The void is really big right now with their loss.”

Teens remembered as talented athletes, students

Bazzell and Fehr were leaders of their athletic teams, as well as good students. Both were academic all-state in football and took part in other activities.

“If you could clone a couple kids in your school, these would be the two you would want to clone,” Quain said. “Not only athletically — their stats and their awards speak to what they were able to do as straight athletes. They were both academic all-state football players, which speaks to the job they did in the classroom.

“Their character was so good, it was top notch. It was everything you would want a high school student to be.”

Quain, who is also a guidance counselor, related that he would often be asked to bring high school students to the grade schools to speak to those children. Bazzell and Fehr were among those he would bring.

“They did such a good job, they carried themselves with great dignity, great respect for themselves, great respect for the school, for the team they represented,” Quain said. “They were good ones. They did everything you wanted from them.”

Bazzell and Fehr also helped at other community events. Evans remarked on their efforts in a basketball program at First Baptist Church.

“We had Drew and Dylan and Cam Palmore come to hand the kids basketballs,” Evans said of the help they provided at the Upwards basketball program at the church. “When it was all over, the kids lined up to get autographs and their pictures with them. I bet they stood around for 45 minutes to an hour signing every ball, signing every jersey, just smiling and getting a million pictures with the kids. It's the way the kids were is why the whole community is grieving this terrible loss. It's still hard to fathom.”

Dylan Bazzell was a son of Darin and Lynette Bazzell. He leaves behind an older brother, Trey. Darin is the head boys' basketball coach and Lynette is a teacher in the district.

Drew Fehr was the son of Brian and Susan Fehr. He leaves behind an older sister, Ashley. Susan is also a teacher in the district.

“It makes it a little more personal, that's for sure, as far as the family goes,” Crane said.

“My heart goes out to the families,” Quain added. “They aren't only parents but coworkers.”

Graduation is two months away, and the loss of two of the more well-known members of the class of 2023 will be felt as regular school events take place.

“There's not going to be anything from here on out that's going to be easy because these kids were involved in so much,” Crane said. “There will be Senior Awards night and Senior Athletic Awards and graduation. All of that stuff is going to be painful.”

Erich Murphy is managing editor of the Daily Leader (Pontiac) and The Blade (Fairbury) and may be reached at emurphy@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Pontiac Daily Leader: Illinois community rallies after two teens die in Colorado accident