STOUGHTON, MASS. (WHDH) - Stoughton High School’s Class of 2018 took part in their graduation ceremony Thursday evening, but before the students walked across the stage, they all observed a moment of silence in honor of the four students lost to a tragic car crash.
“It’s bittersweet because this is an opportunity that they will unfortunately never get to witness,” student Jordan Motley said. “Obviously they’re watching from above but they themselves can’t cross the stage, but it’s also sweet because this is something that we’re doing for them.”
The four Stoughton High students — Christopher Desir, 17, of Brockton, Eric Sarblah, 17, of Stoughton, Nick Joyce, 16, of Stoughton, and David Bell, 17, of Stoughton — were killed in the crash on West Street in East Bridgewater last month.
The teens were on their way back from playing paintball when they crashed into a tree.
Students, staff, and the entire community have come together in the aftermath to get through what should be one of the best times in these kids’ lives.
But many of the students who knew the young men say they would want them to be happy and to enjoy this moment.
“Everyone’s trying to be happy, but at the same time you can’t deal with it,” student Ronald Dessources said. “Sometimes you have to cry and sometimes you can laugh.”
Authorities are still investigating what caused the crash.
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