On a foggy March 10, on the way to a basketball game in Rochelle, two Aurora Central Catholic High School students were killed in a collision with a semi-truck. The driver also was seriously hurt, but is recovering. Other passengers were not injured severely. The funerals for sophomores Seth Egger and Allison “Ally” Bradford were March 16. First, though, the ACC community gathered to pray and to remember.
From the night of the accident, the community that is Aurora Central Catholic High School, has drawn together for support, for hugs, for prayers. March 15, the day before the funerals of sophomores Seth Egger and Allison “Ally” Bradford, was no different.
Long before the 8 p.m. beginning of a prayer and a candlelight vigil, students, parents, faculty and staff, began to gather in the parking lot, the halls, the gym.
In the east entry hall, people waited in line to sign a pair of books, to leave messages of condolence and share memories of Seth and Ally, for their families. They gathered in small groups, talking.
By the time of the vigil, the ACC family had already pulled closer together. But the students who organized the vigil — seniors Grace McCarthy, Christina Barreiro and Emily Zeigler — wanted to provide another opportunity to pull together.
“We want to show our respects, come together as a community,” Emily explained.
“To have a prayer service,” Christina said.
“To be together,” Emily added.
They wanted to support each other and the students who, though they survived the crash, also suffered hurts to their hearts.
“Their injuries are emotional,” Grace said.
“I think it will be with us forever,” Emily added. “We’re a small school. We know everybody.”
And nearly everybody was there Sunday night. The bleachers and rows of chairs on the gym floor were filled with people who wanted to remember, to pray together.
Dean of Instruction Kristy Kane, who helped the students organize the service, credited the students for their effort. “It was the kids,” she said, who did the work.
Phil Nohl, choir and drama director at ACC, sat at a piano, as volunteers gathered to sing for the vigil. He said most of the singers were current students, but some were ACC graduates who came back to lend both their voices and their support.
People outside the immediate ACC family also have come forward to help and to show support since immediately after the accident.
The walls, covered with handmade cards and posters, evidenced the outpouring of sympathy and concern. Among the largest were those from Rosary High School and Marmion Academy. But another was from Washington Middle School in Aurora.
And students from West Aurora High School wore blue and gold to their own basketball game the Thursday after the accident, said ACC assistant principal Paul Mayer. West also sent seven counselors to ACC the day after the accident to help students who wanted to talk about it, Mayer said. Aurora Christian School has also been supportive, Mayer said, attending many events.
Father F. William Etherege, superintendent and principal of ACC, led the service, but he was not alone. Priests from parishes outside the Rockford Diocese but who have students at the high school also joined him and Deacon Luis Patino of St. Rita of Cascia Parish in Aurora.
On the night of the accident, Father Etheredge said, “Rochelle was great. And St. Anthony (Medical Center in Rockford) was great.”
Volunteers from Rochelle Township High School and the community, helped drive cars back to Aurora so students wouldn’t need to. And they helped the ACC staff at the game cope with making the announcement to those who attended.
Small favors like that have helped the ACC community get through the difficult days of the past two weeks. And will continue to help in the days and weeks to come.
The family that is ACC will continue to come together in love and support.
There is an invitation in the emotional trials of the accident and the loss, Father Etheredge said in his homily.
“The invitation is to pause and to look to our own hearts and see the love that really ought to be at the heart (of our lives),” he said. The invitation comes from Jesus, “to celebrate the things in our lives.”
He recalled each of the students in turn, offering insights into their characters. Seth, with his big smile, had no special table at lunch because he was constantly sitting with different groups of friends. He talked about how the service was taking place in Ally’s gym. “This was her gym from St. Rita (school) time … the ‘Blue Streaks’ up and down the floor.
“We are a people of hope and of love. That’s what we’re invited to look to, to the kingdom, and to cherish the memories, and to thank God for them.
“Lift them up in your prayers,” he told the students and others, “and allow others to lift you up in prayer.”
After the indoor service was finished, everyone processed toward the chapel, where people were there to light candles and to provide them for the few who didn’t have any. There, Father Etheredge led another short prayer and blessed a pair of crosses dedicated to Ally and Seth.
When he was finished, people brought their candles to place near the crosses before saying a silent prayer or drifting away for quiet conversations before going home.
John and Sherry Bochenek, parents of ACC sophomore Zack, were among the adults at the service.
“Most of the kids are holding it in most the day,” said Sherry.
“Most of the week,” added John.
“They’re taking it pretty hard,” said Rich Woodrich, who paused to read some of the sympathy notes on the wall with his son Thomas. His daughter Samantha, an ACC sophomore, was with friends.
“The events they’re doing will get them on the road to healing,” he said, adding, “The good thing is how close the Rosary and Marmion kids are.”
School has remained in session since the accident, except on Monday when the funerals were held. And even that day the building was open so students and families could have a gathering place between Seth’s funeral in the morning and Ally’s in the afternoon.
“We’ve been in school since Wednesday after the accident,” Father Etheredge said, March 17. “It was actually incredible, because on Wednesday when I left Rochelle (Community) Hospital (after 2 a.m.) … we sent out messages that we’ll have Mass at 7:15 (a.m.) on Wednesday.
“We probably had 800 to 815 show up for morning Mass,” he said.
They moved the portable altar into the gym and after the bleachers were filled, students sat on the floor and stood in the balcony, he said. Masses on Thursday and Friday were also overflowing. “On Friday it was even larger than on Wednesday,” he said.
The Mass Sunday had been scheduled as part of a brunch and awards ceremony. Those were cancelled, but the Mass went on, again for a huge group. Father Etheredge estimated there was “easily over 850 at the vigil” Sunday night.
ACC students pick a color theme before basketball games, and the theme March 10 was white. For the rest of the week, students wore something white over uniform skirts and pants. A week later, they returned to their normal uniforms.
The assistance for students who want help coping continues.
“We’ve had service dogs in (March 17), comfort dogs,” Father Etherege explained. And the response from area priests and schools has “really been wonderful,” he added. “We’re going to do everything we can to be supportive” of students and of faculty who had Ally and Seth in class.
“We’re grieving and we’re praying for their families,” he said. “You really see God’s hand working in bringing consolation.”