Wednesday, August 25, 1999
Ross teens start school on sad note
BY SUE KIESEWETTER
Enquirer Contributor
ROSS TOWNSHIP — The reunions on the first day of classes at Ross High School were marked by tears and constant reminders of a very recent tragedy.
Instead of excited talk about the new school year, there were quiet discussions about funeral services and memorials.
Student Chris Sellman said there were plenty of back-to-school hugs, as usual, but these were different.
“I wish they were hugs of joy and, "Gee, it's good to see you again,' instead of hugs of sorrow,” he said.
The fatal crash that claimed football players Adam Brinkman and Scott King on Friday brought camera crews, reporters and teams of counselors to the school Tuesday morning.
“It was weird,” senior Carrie Bray said shortly after classes began. “It just makes you think again and again about what happened. You can't get your mind off the accident. It's a constant reminder that two of your classmates have died.”
Adam and Scott were killed after Adam lost control of his car going over a steep hill on Kirchling Road while traveling 70 mph in a 45 mph zone, police said. The car crashed into a tree and caught fire. The boys had been driving home after an early morning football practice.
There was a moment of silence Tuesday at the school, and plans were made to attend today's services. The school will provide shuttle buses for the estimated 100 juniors and seniors expected to attend.
Funeral Mass for Adam will be 10 a.m. at Queen of Peace Church; Scott's funeral services will be at 3 p.m. at Brown and Dawson Funeral Home, 1350 Millville Ave.
There were also discussions of memorials to the students. Student Council will raise money to plant two trees to honor the boys.
The football players will wear Adam's No. 54 and Scott's No. 59 on their helmets this year, and Friday's opening game against Lemon-Monroe will begin with a moment of silence. Student council members will hand out small maroon ribbons to wear in tribute.
Ross wasn't the only school with grief-stricken students in the accident's aftermath.
At Rockcastle County High School in Mount Vernon, Ky., where Scott spent his freshman and most of his sophomore year, about 70 of his friends gathered in the band room Monday to share their memories of him.
Band instructor Greg Daugherty taught Scott to play trumpet for three years. He set up the hour-long talk to help his students cope. He said that even though Scott no longer goes to Rockcastle, students there deeply feel the loss.
“He was one of those kids everybody knew,” Mr. Daugherty said. “A lot of the teachers and friends who knew him are still choked up about it.”
On Tuesday, many Ross football players wore quarter-inch wide rubber bands around their wrists, carrying the numbers 54 and 59.
“We're going to wear stickers with their numbers on our helmets all year,” said senior player Aaron Ray. “Some kids have rubber bands, wristbands. Some have their numbers on the back of their cleats. We still got their jerseys hanging in their lockers.”
Principal Greg Young said the school's three counselors have been joined by ministers, two psychologists and additional counselors this week to help the 800 students and school staff cope.
“There's a lot of mixed emotions. The students are excited about the opening of school but at the same time they're missing two of their friends,” Mr. Young said.
“I think the real work comes (Wednesday) and the next few days as the kids come to grips with this after the funerals and burials,” he said.
Community support has been strong, with people bringing food to the families and strangers calling the school to offer help. Parents have offered to come to the classrooms so teachers can go to the funerals, Mr. Young said.
“It doesn't surprise me. People look out for each other in our community,” said Mr. Young, himself a Ross graduate.
In Rockcastle High's lunchroom cafeteria Monday, the students scraped together $200 to help Scott's family pay for funeral expenses. A group of them are driving 140 miles to attend his funeral.
Some Ross students who attended Queen of Peace Catholic Church with Scott have raised $2,000 for both families.
Football players have begun a collection for both families. Separate accounts for the families of each boy have been set up at the Ross branch of Fifth Third Bank.
Enquirer reporter Tom McCann contributed to this report.
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