HAMMOND — Hundreds of people turned out at a candle light vigil Thursday night to honor their three fallen friends and fellow classmates from Southeastern Louisiana University.
The three were identified as Carmelo Riley, Brian Smith II, and Tyrell Yates-Robertson, all students. The trio was returning to Hammond early Monday morning after they were in New Orleans for a Saints game. Louisiana State Troopers said it was around 3:30 a.m. on Sept. 28 when their vehicle went off the roadway before hitting a concrete structure on the on-ramp to I-55 northbound from U.S. Highway 51.
A vigil was held at Cate Street Park in Hammond with the boys’ mothers and their classmates lighting candles as night fell after speaking about the trio.
“Grief isn’t as simple as missing someone. You have to learn to live without what once felt like a constant with no blueprint or instructions to follow,” said a close friend of the group, Reagan Bolin. “Three young men had so much more life to live. It’s a tragedy that’s affected the whole north, south shore and families out of the state. We’re all feeling an immense loss that we don’t have any instructions on how to deal with.”
He added the amount of prayers pouring out since the deadly crash is just more proof of how many lives the three young men touched and have left a lasting impact.
“I still feel them with me like my phone will ring any minute,” Bolin said through his tears.
The vigil started with the boys’ moms lighting the first candles in honor of their sons.
Tyree Lewis, Tyrell Yates-Robertson’s mother, said she stood on the side for a bit just taking in the massive crowd and outpouring of love not only for her son, but for his friends as well.
“Thank you for loving our boys. They wouldn’t want you to be in mourning for too long,” Lewis told the crowd. She said the three boys were bright lights, which is why so many people were drawn to them.
In total, upwards of 300 people were present at the vigil, according to one of the organizers.
They prayed together thanking God for the time they had with them along with a promise to never forget them.
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