A tragic car accident Sunday left a Metro East teen dead. A gathering in Columbia, Illinois, attended by hundreds honored the memory of the teen, Crawford Bryant.
"He was just an awesome guy," Bryant's friend Hayes Van Breusegen told 5 On Your Side.
Three other teens are recovering Monday night, one of them suffering life-threatening injuries. All were students at Columbia High School.
The crash happened Sunday afternoon on Hanover Road in Monroe County, just moments after a police officer saw the car speeding on Illinois Route 3.
At a Monday night candlelight vigil, it was hard for many people to not get choked up.
Bryant was a sophomore at Columbia High School who played varsity soccer. Monday night, his teammates and coaches tearfully talked about how perseverant and kind he was.
Less than 36 hours after the Sunday afternoon crash, there was an overflowing show of support at the 7:30 p.m. candlelit vigil that started at Bolm-Schuhkraft Park and traveled to Bryant's home.
About 200 people came together only blocks away from Columbia High School.
"I called a few of my teammates, and I called a few others just to let them know," Van Breusegen said when he heard the news about the crash.
Bryant was a defender under boys and girls soccer coach Jamey Bridges.
"I mean we're hurting," Bridges said. "As a community, as a family, we're hurting."
Bridges led dozens of students with Columbia's Fellowship of Christian Athletes in prayer at 5 p.m. ahead of the nearby vigil.
"It's hard as adults to understand this emotion," Bridges said. "So, you're asking 14, 15, 16, 17-year-olds to understand it. So just being around each other, strengthening each other. That's the biggest thing right now."
One of those 17-year-olds is forward Van Breusegen, also one of Bryant's soccer teammates.
"I have all these memories that are coming into my mind of just him smiling, us in the hotel room, him on the soccer field," Van Breusegen said. "He was just one of those players who never gave up on the soccer field."
As a senior, Van Breusegen said this is a lot to process, hoping to keep leaning on his classmates the rest of this year.
"If we rely on God's comfort and God's strength, a lot of people are going to turn to other ways, a lot of people are going to turn to things in this world but I know a lot of people are going to turn to Jesus," Van Breusegen said.
Details haven't been finalized for the funeral but Bridges said it's likely going to be sometime this week. Columbia coaches and student-athletes just continue to ask for prayers.