Dozens of bright balloons sailed into the sky outside South Elgin High School on Sunday in honor of two students who were killed in a crash earlier this week.
Kimorra Campbell, 17, and Tahlulay Henry, 16, were on the way to school Thursday morning when the car they were riding in collided with a dump truck in nearby Bartlett, authorities said.
A standout basketball player, Kamorra was remembered by friends and classmates for her passion and personality.
"Every time she got the ball, she would just shoot it, didn't matter," said classmate Anevay Hernandez.
Tahlulay, affectionately known as "Yuyu," was described by friends as energetic and uplifting.
"My birthday was on Tuesday, August 29th, and I ran into her in the bathroom, and she was like, 'Oh isn’t it your birthday today?' I was like, 'yeah,' then she gave me a hug and said I looked so pretty, I hope you enjoy your day… and that was the last time I saw her," classmate Ayana Talet recalled.
In the days since the deadly crash, South Elgin High School has provided students with resources, including the support of grief counselors, to navigate through this difficult time.
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"They’re just trying to get through it, you know," classmate Eva Wasik said. "The school is coming together, there are therapy dogs and counseling and rooms we can go in to take a breather."
School District U-46, which includes the high school, said on Friday one of the students who was injured, Elizabeth Esparza, was hospitalized in stable condition. The district didn't identify a fourth student who suffered non-life threatening injuries in the collision.
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"I feel like it can just be taken in an instant… and now we have to take advantage of what we have while we have it before it’s gone," said classmate Anevay Hernandez.
