BUNCOMBE COUNTY, N.C. — A south Charlotte community is mourning after a 16-year-old Myers Park High School student died and two Charlotte Catholic High School students were seriously injured in a crash in Asheville on Saturday.
Sophia Gordon, 16, died when the driver of a 2015 Volvo lost control on an off-ramp and crashed into a tree around 11:30 p.m. on April 6, according to North Carolina State Highway Patrol. Troopers said the driver of the Volvo was going too fast for the ramp, which led to the crash.
Six people were in the vehicle at the time of the crash. Gordon and Robert Fox, a 19-year-old from Wilmette, Illinois, died in the crash. Two other teens, Isabella Tarantelli, and Aby Robinson, were critically injured. The driver of the vehicle and another passenger suffered minor injuries. Tarantelli and Robinson are both students are Charlotte Catholic.
The driver of the Volvo was identified by NCSHP as 18-year-old William Tyler Neumann of Augusta, Georgia. He has been charged with one count of reckless driving and two counts of misdemeanor death by vehicle.
Charlotte Catholic students gathered for a prayer vigil at the school's football stadium on Sunday evening.
"The biggest thing is just bringing everybody together and to spend time in prayer for all of the families involved," Charlotte Catholic Assistant Principal Bobby Conrad said. "I know it means a lot to the families to see everyone here for them."
Monday was the first day back to school since the crash. For students like Izabel Elder, who attends Charlotte Catholic, returning to school brought a mix of emotions.
“Kids shouldn’t be losing their lives this young on the road," Elder said. "It’s a scary and rough situation. It’s just hard, especially when it happens to people from the school that you go to.”
Elder said she knows Tarantelli through mutual friends and described her as very kind.
“It hit me with like a wave of shock because recently I had seen her post in her prom dress and so I didn’t expect that," Elder said. "It’s good that they’re letting us come together as a community and deal with the losses.”
Myers Park High School officials posted the following statement on Facebook:
"We are praying for Sophie’s family and friends during this very difficult time. MPHS has experienced many losses these past few years and death can be difficult for us to understand, especially when it is sudden. We may feel a variety of emotions: shock, sadness, or confusion. What is most important is that we care for and support each other."
While counselors say there's no perfect way to grieve, there are ways parents can offer support.
"Find a specific way to remember or commemorate their friend," Dr. Claire McCullough, a mental health counselor, said.
"Respecting their privacy, but also letting them know that they're not alone," Jennifer Wolff, a trauma treatment specialist, added. "You will get through it, but it will take time.”
For those still recovering, Elder said she's just hoping time heals.
"I just hope that they come back and recover," Elder said.
If your loved one was impacted by this incident, WCNC Charlotte hopes to make this process less painful with our More Than A Number initiative. With your help, we want to share who your loved one was with our viewers in North Carolina and South Carolina. When you're ready, fill out the form below or send us photos, memories and other details about them to desk@wcnc.com.