After fleeing the scene of an automobile accident where his best buddy was murdered, a teenager committed suicide.
Lancaster, Pennsylvania high school football player Tyler Zook, 17, committed suicide in the middle of the night.
Hours earlier, Tyreese “Ty” Smith, 16, was killed in a collision that also injured Amalie Wendt, 18, and left Zook injured. The teenagers were riding about in Wendt’s dad’s automobile.
The identity of the Hyundai Santa Fe’s driver at the time of the event is unknown.
Around midnight on Saturday, the car, which according to the police appeared to be speeding, veered off into a field and began to roll several times before coming to rest on its side.
Smith suffered several severe injuries in the collision, which led to mechanical asphyxia. His passing was deemed an accident.
Less than two hours after he returned home, Zook appeared to have left the site and committed suicide.
Zook committed suicide, according to the Coroner’s Office.
According to the Lancaster Daily Voice, Zook was a member of the team’s Class of 2023 and played both offensive and defensive line.
Smith and Zook shared a job at the neighborhood Sonic Drive-In on East Lincoln Highway. On Friday night, Smith started working at 6 p.m. and finished about 11:30 p.m.
Both individuals played football for Conestoga Valley Senior High School.
Smith had just ended his sophomore year, while Zook had just concluded his junior year.
Smith and Zook met while playing football when Smith was six years old, and they have been friends for almost 10 years.
He cherished his relationships with his teammates, both on and off the field. He also loved PlayStation, hunting, the beach, music, and his 1993 Chevy S-10 pickup truck.
Smith’s mother Bernice McKenzie told the Voice that “normally, you’d never see one without the other.”
She compared the pair to a “comedy show.”
They were very humorous. They were always having fun and being silly.
Students at their school also recalled the couple with affection.
Patience Conner, a freshman, described them as “hysterical.” They were able to amuse anyone.
Smith and Zook “couldn’t do one thing without the other,” according to Conner.
Tyreese was always a terrific advisor; he was available for anything you needed, according to Conner. Regardless of how he was feeling, you could ask him any question and he would always be willing to assist you.
Karyssa Rosa, a sophomore at Lancaster County Academy, said Tyreese was hilarious.
He had a great sense of humor. He was constantly available for people and enjoyed talking to everyone.
Additionally, he was a good man in general. He constantly made an effort to assist others.
Since the unfortunate event, a memorial has been erected by the side of the road.
When thinking about what he could have said or done, McKenzie admitted, “I have my times where all I can do is chuckle,” and “there are moments I can’t even speak.” “It goes up, down, up, down.”
I believed that things would grow simpler every day. Actually, it simply becomes slightly more difficult.
I wanted to thank the police for finally getting in touch with me, being so open and forthright, and providing me with the information they are capable of providing, McKenzie stated.
“I know there are still a lot of concerns, but I was able to receive some answers, and I was just really glad of the fact that they did provide me information and how much they made me feel supported,” the speaker said.
For those who knew the students, local superintendent Dave Zuilkoski said in a statement that mental health counselors were accessible at the school.
Dina Henry, the sports director at Conestoga Valley, stated, “From what I hear, their fatalities occurred under different circumstances, several hours apart.” It has been really difficult to make sense of this, I must admit.
The loss of two young children causes anguish and a feeling of fear. It’s really sad. Even trying to mentally process it is difficult.
Zook and Smith both put up GoFundMe accounts to raise money for funeral expenses, and these accounts have collectively raised more than $36,000.