JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- More than 300 people gathered around two tiny candles on Flagler Beach on Sunday. It was a memorial that burned for two teens who lost their lives far too soon; 17-year-old Meredith Smith and 19-year-old Lane Burnsed.
"When something tragic happens in Flagler County, it's part of our family and when one of the members of our family hurts, everybody hurts," said assistant superintendent and former principal of Flagler Palm Coast High School, Jacob Olivia. "It's affecting all of us."
The teens were on their way to Daytona Beach when their car got in a wreck with at least three vehicles on I-95 in Ormond Beach. Friends still can't believe it.
"She left us and she blew all of us kisses and said she loved us and she'd be back tomorrow," said Smith's fellow cheerleader and friend Kayla Pond.
"Meredith was the kind of girl that everybody's parents dreamed to have," she added. "She strived for what she wanted and always got to it."
A cheerleader, a gymnast and a top student in her class at Flagler Palm Coast High, Smith had ambitions of attending an Ivy League School after finishing out her senior year.
"She was a great student," said friend Emily Ribich. "She got good grades and had a ton of friends."
Emily Ribich also knew the other teen lost in the crash, Lane Burnsed. The 19-year-old was home schooled, but had many friends at Flagler Palm Coast High. His Ambitions of becoming a firefighter like his fire captain father extinguished far too soon.
"His parents were close to my parents," said Ribich. "He was exciting to hang out with and he was a good guy."
A service will be held for Burnsed on Wednesday at First Baptist Church in Bunnell at 10:00am. Family asks for donations to the Wounded Warrior Project in lieu of flowers.
A memorial will be held for Meredith Smith Tuesday at 4:30 at Palm Coast Methodist Church. Family asks for donations for Flagler Palm Coast Cheerleading in lieu of flowers.
