CENTRAL — Caleb Easterling, the teen killed in the Magnolia Bridge Road accident, will always live on but in particular cases, he will forever be with…literally, thanks to the gift of organ donation.
Easterling was headed to his home in Central to prepare for a Zoom meeting with William Woods, a college in Missouri, where he was planning to play baseball in the fall when he was hit.
His mother tells UWK that Easterling’s organ procurement surgery started at 3am Saturday, July 15. Our Lady of the Lake honored Easterling with a “Hero’s Walk” ahead of his survey.
LOPA has already matched his kidney, heart and lungs.
Easterling’s services will be at Journey Church in Central on Friday, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. with service at 2. Burial to follow at Seale in Denham.
Services are open to the public.
The wreck happened on July 12th. According to Louisiana State Police investigators, William Cokes, 49, of Baton Rouge, was heading east on Magnolia Bridge Rd. when he crossed into the westbound lane and hit Easterling head-on. Another truck heading west rear ended Easterling. That driver’s name was not released.
Both Easterling & Cokes were airlifted to a hospital. Easterling did not survive his injuries. His mother Becky tells Unfiltered with Kiran her son was an organ donor so he will live on through his donations.
“Caleb is the best son we could have ever asked for. He has been nothing but a joy to our life. We are devastated and heartbroken and not sure how we will face each day without him. He is goofy and silly and annoying and funny and loving,” Becky Easterling said.
Caleb had just left his job cutting grass at Pards in Denham Springs when the accident happened, his mother said.
“So he was going home to shower and get ready to get on Zoom,” Easterling said. “He had to have his hair just right, that boy had more hair products than I do.”
The 19-year-old had graduated from Central High in 2022. He played junior college baseball in Mississippi last year and was headed to Missouri to play college baseball this fall.
His impact on the community was obvious just from the two days he was in a hospital.
“We had three rooms full of kids to see him about five feet deep both yesterday and Wednesday. He is truly loved so, so much by his family and his friends,” she said.
Becky Easterling tells UWK many people in the community are helping organize benefits in honor of Caleb. One of the first ones is a jambalaya fundraiser this Sunday, July 16 at the Ross Tire on Greenwell Springs Rd. It will be $10 a plate (details below).
Funeral arrangements have not been set at this time.
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