Underneath a sea of umbrellas, 100 students in Griswold held candles to remember four friends killed in a crash last year.
Dillon Clifford, John Clapper, Sativa Cornell, all 16, and Steven Sklarz, 15, were killed when the car they were riding in slammed into a tree and flipped on Route 201 in Griswold last December.
Sativa's mother and Clapper's sister organized the vigil.
"I'm (thankful) to have known him for as long as I did," Jennifer Clapper said about her brother. "I have never laughed harder or more frequently than I did with John. He was kind, he was gentle and ever sensitive."
For some, it's still hard not to see their classmates' smiles in the hallways at Griswold High School.
"It's weird because Steve's locker is right next to mine and today I got a book that said John's name in it," Aaron Walmsley said.
Others shared stories about their friends. Some said the crash has made the small town even closer.
Local
"We were a close town already, but this really brought us together," Ashlynn Elkins said.
Organizers said they would like something like the vigil every anniversary, so the community doesn't forget their loves ones."
