Sunset Vigil honors the life of three Goleta students who were killed in the crash

On Thursday, the Greek Theater of the DOS Pueblos High School packed more than a thousand parishioners for a Sunset Mahnwache for three students and 18-year-old Jake Curtis, 17-year-old Michael Ochsner and 15-year-old Alexander Wood, who was killed last weekend in a multi-vehicle accident.

When the sun went down over the Goleta campus, friends, family and classmates crowded together, kept white and yellow flowers and alternately changed stories about the three teenagers. Many fought tears when they told their memories of Curtis, Ochsner and Wood – three friends who were looking forward to the summer and were on the way back from a long day of the lifeguard at Jalama Beach when the accident took place on May 18.

The trio had just experienced an ideal day for teenage boys, hung on the beach with friends and life-saving techniques with large trucks and Calstar Rescue helicopters. Shortly before 6 p.m., all three went down in Curtis' car and returned to the city, where they wanted to meet an in-out burger for a snack on the beach.

At the vigil, Owen Wood – older brother of Alexander Wood, the youngest of the three boys who were killed in the crash, and the best friend of Ochsner said – he spoke to his little brother and friends shortly before the accident. It was a short call in which the two brothers joked demands for a triple-decorative burger over Owen's demands, which all three boys broke in the car. The crash occurred almost two minutes later.

Owen said that this last call and laughter from his brother and his friends to hear gave him a feeling of consolation in the past few days.

“If you think about it, you probably laughed when the accident happened. They were happy,” said Owen. “These boys were in such a happy place in their life, and that is more important to me than anything else.”

He said it was nice to see how the community comes together to celebrate the life of the three teenagers, and asked those present to honor them by appreciating the good they brought into the world.

“We can deal with all the” Was-Wenn “and all the things that Alex, Michael and Jake missed. After all, they were our brothers and friends and sons and classmates, and now they are gone,” said Owen. “I only have the feeling that we should mourn and mourn the loss of these beloved boys, but we should be grateful for the time we had received with them because it was nice.”

Bill Woodard, headmaster of DOS Pueblos, said that the loss of the three students – who were involved in athletics, swimming and water polo – left the campus community with a broken heart. He thanked the advisors and support employees of Behavior Wellness, the Santa Barbara Response Network and the Family Service Agency, who worked with family, students and employees to further process the deaths.

“In view of such a loss, words often become too short, but we can stand together,” said Woodard. “For the families and the closest friends of the boys: we are here. They are not alone. Your pain is our pain, and your sons will always be part of the Doos Pueblos community.”

Friends and teammates of the three boys describe them as a fun -loving, active teenager who shared a similar sense of humor and longed for the excitement of cars, surfing, skiing and skateboarding. Some said funny anecdotes of skipping the class to go to mixes or to share jokes on the pool deck, while others shared words in mourning.

Jessica and Dax Curtis, mother and father of Jake Curtis, closed the vigil by thanking the community to show the three boys so much love. Jessica said her son was in his life in a great moment and was excited to find good friends in Michael and Alexander.

“There are no words to express the great loss that the world has suffered,” she said. “He was at a climax in his life. He only became a lifeguard and went out with the bang. The world will never really be the same.”

When the night fell over the outdoor theater, the more than a thousand present began to light their candles. The gentle yellow glow of the flames shone the faces in the crowd as they fluctuated and sniffed in their seats, while gentle music played over the speakers. Many lingered long after the end of the music, exchanged stories and told the grieving family members who were decorated with consolation.

Alexander Wood's family started one Gofundme page Support for funeral costs and other costs.