Manvel High School students held a vigil to honor three teens who were recently killed in a tragic car crash. On Friday (Jan. 9), friends and family members gathered at the football stadium to sing songs and read poems in memory of seniors Sara Silvas, Zori Petrova and Joshua Rodriguez.
At the close of the ceremony, hundreds of balloons were released into the sky. The cold and gloomy weather seemed to mirror the somber mood of the crowd, who watched in silence as the balloons floated upward and dissapeared into the dark clouds.
Texas Department of Safety officials report the accident occured Wednesday, Jan. 7, as Rodriguez was driving down Old Chocolate Bayou. The young driver reportedly lost control of the Honda sedan, which slammed backwards into a five-foot-deep culvert and burst into flames.
In the days that followed, students and family members returned to the scene of the tragic accident, which is now covered with flowers and tokens left by those still mourning the loss of three lives so full of promise.
“These three have left an incredible mark on Manvel High School. They were leaders. They were athletes. They were friends,” Daniel Combs, Alvin ISD spokesman said at the remembrance ceremony. “They will be dearly missed.”
Joshua “Josh” Rodriguez was a resident of Pearland who played football and soccer. Before high school, he attended Don Jeter Elementary and Nolan Ryan Jr. High School, both in Alvin ISD.
“Josh was an active student who was always happy and loved life. He was enthusiastic, vibrant and athletic. He was making plans to attend the University of Houston with a major in engineering,” Manvel High School principal Charlotte Liptack said in a release.
Rodriguez had a tenth grade sibling at Manvel High School and a fifth grade sibling at Mary Marek Elementary, as well as a sibling that was a 2013 graduate of Manvel High School.
Zornitsa “Zori” Petrova was also a resident of Pearland. She was elected Senior Class President and was a member of the tennis and swim teams. Before high school, she attended Mary Marek Elementary School and Nolan Ryan Junior High.
“She had an outgoing, contagious personality,” Liptack said. “She was a brilliant student and an integral member of the debate and academic decathlon teams. She had been accepted, and was planning to attend Texas A&M University.”
Sara Silvas swas from Clute and played varsity softball. She had attended Manvel High School for two years and attended Brazoswood High School previously. Her future plan was to attend the University of Texas at San Antonio.
“Sara always had a bright smile and was a vibrant part of the Manvel High School community. She was kind, hardworking, and always helpful,” Liptack said. “Sara is the daughter of Manvel High School Dual Credit Advisor, Monica Silva. Mrs. Silvas is an instrumental part of the Maverick Family.”
Silva had older siblings who attend schools outside Alvin ISD.
Principal Liptack expressed her sympathy in a letter to Manvel High School parents and students.
“The Manvel High School community is a family that shows incredible support for one another during trying times. The three families need to know that we care, but they also need privacy today and throughout the week. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers, and please be there for each other,” Liptack wrote. “I know that we will get through this difficult time together.”
View a tribute and learn how you can Save One Life here.
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