Jaylyn Fehr made friends wherever she went. The honor roll student loved her family and her cats, and she planned to one day attend law school.
Charlotte Martin was “a ray of sunshine,” a two-sport athlete who balanced soccer and volleyball with a rigorous academic schedule and an after-school job.
Jackson Mobley had the best one-liners and an uncanny ability to make people laugh. A “friend to all,” he was a proud big brother with dreams of starting his own HVAC company after college.
All three teenagers’ lives were cut short this week in a fiery, single-vehicle wreck on their way to St. George Island, Florida, for spring break, officials said.
Now tributes are pouring in from devastated friends and classmates at their small, tight-knit private school in Forsyth County. Horizon Christian Academy in Cumming released photos of the students along with some details about their lives.
Mobley, 18; Fehr, 17; and Martin, 16, were killed on their way to visit family and friends during their week off, according to the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office. Mobley’s 17-year-old sister was critically injured in the wreck and remained hospitalized Wednesday.
Cumming leaders are lighting the water tower in navy and gold, the school’s colors, to honor the students.
The families of Martin and Fehr have launched online fundraisers to help cover funeral and travel expenses. The GoFundMe pages had raised a combined $44,000 as of noon Thursday.
Both girls played volleyball on their school’s varsity team and for A5 Gwinnett, a local club volleyball team. A5 girls coach Jordan Harris called it an honor and a privilege to coach the duo.
“But what we shared went far beyond the game — I saw them as my younger sisters,” Harris said in a statement Thursday to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “Whether it was offering college advice about Jaylyn’s aspirations in law, or helping Charlotte think through ideas for her junior prom, our conversations were always filled with joy, growth and genuine connection. They were placed in my life to learn from me, but in truth, I learned far more from them than they will ever know.”
Martin, she said, was a constant source of encouragement to her teammates, both on and off the court. Fehr, Harris said, always held herself to a high standard. She encouraged others and genuinely wanted to see everyone succeed.
Both players were strong in their faith, their coach said, and “reflected Christ’s love in the way they cared for others.”
“Together, they embodied what it means to be a team — lifting others up and leading with heart,” Harris said. “… When they left, a piece of my heart left with them.”
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