Midvale City Journal May 2018

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May 2018 | Vol. 18 Iss. 05

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CLASSMATES, SCHOOL, DISTRICT PROVIDE SUPPORT WITH HILLCREST STUDENTS’ DEATHS By Julie Slama | julie@mycityjournals.com

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plashed in the news are photos of the single car rollover in Arizona during spring break that took the lives of two Hillcrest High School juniors. But quietly behind the headlines are classmates, counselors and the district crisis team providing support for their friends and families. “We want to reach out and offer our help and support,” Canyons School District Director of Responsive Services BJ Weller said. “We come to schools during crises and see the needs, offer support and counseling if it’s more than the schools can handle with their staff and follow up with the families and students who sought counseling.” Carson Glen Koch and Brayden Eaton, both 17-year-olds from Sandy, died April 7 when their car veered off Interstate 15 and rolled between Mesquite, Nevada and St. George as they were returning home. Both were instantly killed, according to a GoFundMe account set up by Carson’s mother, Jody Koch. She added that Brayden’s mother had just died the week earlier from liver failure. “It is a tragedy beyond words,” she wrote. Jordan High School junior Autumn Perry, who attended Union Middle School with both of them, said that Carson was outgoing and on the stage crew with the school musical. “He was super funny. I attended a different elementary school and he came up to me in seventh grade and said, ‘Hey you seem cool, let’s talk’ and we kept talking all through middle school. Brayden was so sweet and even though she was shy, she saw me all alone and came up and talked to me,” Autumn said, adding that she recently had seen Brayden and had caught up. Riverton junior Jillian Westenskow said she was Brayden’s

Hillcrest High classmates, family members and friends released balloons with messages for two students who died in a car accident during a candlelight vigil at Falcon Park in Sandy. (Julie Slama/City Journals)

best friend. “Brayden was happy all the time,” she said. “She’s sweet and very pretty. She liked to be adventurous, like exploring abandoned houses. She liked hanging with her boyfriend.” Jillian said that the two had been dating for 16 months and that Carson loved basketball. The GoFundMe site said that both were good students. Car-

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son earned his Eagle Scout, was an umpire and referee for Sandy City and had a part-time job. Brayden, who was living with her grandmother and younger sister, was trying to help support herself and sister by working a part-time job as well as attending Hillcrest. West Jordan High junior Ariana Isais had worked with Brayden. Continued On Page 7..

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