CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Garinger High School was hit with tragedy this week. A deadly shooting claimed the life of one of their own.
On Friday afternoon, the school community came together to remember 14-year-old Johnnie McClendon with a balloon release and vigil.
Also, this week four Garinger High School students were hurt in a crash in East Charlotte.
It was an emotional vigil. The pain and tears in McClendon’s family’s eyes, but also his friends and classmates, were palpable as they remembered McClendon for the joy he brought to their lives.
“For us, this will be a remembrance,” McCendon's coach said. “We will have laughter and there will be moments we have sadness because we will truly miss our friend, our teammate and he was like a son to me.”
McClendon’s photo is front and center at the vigil. The teen who had dreams of one day becoming a basketball star-- gone too soon.
“This young man was taken from this world… let’s not let his light leave this world," a speaker with Mothers of Murdered Offspring (M.O.M.O) said.
On Sunday, McClendon was accidentally shot and killed when a friend was showing him a gun, that went off.
At the vigil, M.O.M.O. Executive Director Lisa Crawford locked eyes with the kids in the crowd asking them to put the guns away.
“This the only way I want to see you,” Crawford said. “I don’t want to see you in a picture on a table, so let’s make a good decision, let’s take care of another, let’s be positive.”
Thursday, Garinger High School students experienced more trauma after four students were involved in a car accident, not far from campus. Three were seriously hurt after the car ran off the road, flipping over several times.
The school made crisis response team counselors available to students to process these events.
Founder of Revision Counseling and Wellness, PLLC, Jarrett Evans said experiencing a tragedy can have lasting effects on kids.
“This can impact the child tremendously in terms of the child can feel depressed, because of what happened to his or her friend, it can cause some anxiety, it can cause some anger, some grief,” Evans said.
Evans said it is important to keep an eye on your children and to look for any changes in mood and habits.
“They may not come out and say... hey mom, I’m feeling this way or hey dad, I’m really feeling bad but they will communicate in their own way,” Evans said. “As parents, as adults, as leaders, we just have to recognize those signs and be able to create that time, create that space for them to feel comfortable in sharing.”
The basketball team has a game Friday and McClendon’s teammates said they are playing for him Friday night.
The painting of McClendon was hand-made by one of the schoolteachers and that was gifted to his family.
During the memorial, the group also prayed for the four students hurt in the crash.
A second crash sent kids from Rocky River High School to the hospital, claiming the life of one student, in Mint Hill.
On Monday, Jovanny Escamilla-Salinas died and two others were seriously hurt in a crash in Mint Hill. Police say speed could have played a role in the crash.
Teens are more likely to be involved in a crash than older drivers because they have less experience and skills. Instructors at teen driving schools said education and training are key to helping teens feel more confident and safer on the road.
The risk of car crashes is higher among teens between 16 and 19 years old. According to the CDC, this group also accounts for almost three times more deadly crashes compared to drivers 20 and older. This is why Doc McKinney with Teen Driving School, B.R.A.K.E.S said they work so hard to reach teens.
“It really hits home for us, because this school was started up because of Doug Herbert's family tragedy where both of his sons were killed in one crash," McKinney said.
Teens are less likely to recognize dangerous situations on the road.
“We also have a distraction course, where we show them just how easy it is to lose control at a very low speed and how easy it is to crash,” McKinney said. “We also have what we call crash avoidance.”
He encourages parents to provide their kids with more driving education.
“Give them the 30 hours of driving experience, do the best you can, and then bring them to us,” McKinney said. “We will get them up to speed.”
B.R.A.K.E.S driving program is designed for people 16 to 19 and focuses on building stronger teen drivers through its defensive driving program.
Both CMS schools made crisis response team counselors available to students who may need them.
Contact Jesse Pierre at jpierrepet@wcnc.com or follow her on Facebook, X and Instagram.