Students Grieve After Fatal Crash

A gruesome car wreck that killed a 16-year-old Pasadena High School student in front of dozens of classmates prompted a profound outpouring of grief Wednesday, shattering for many a teenage sense of invincibility.

As many of his classmates stood outside after school Tuesday afternoon, Anto Atyemizian jumped into his aunt’s minivan before she pulled away from the curb and drove across lanes to make a left turn.

Suddenly there was a crunch of metal when a following car slammed into the side of the van, flipping it onto the grassy median of Sierra Madre Boulevard, directly in front of school.

Shocked students helped lift the overturned vehicle to find the body of Atyemizian, who had been ejected and crushed to death.

On Wednesday, scores of students gathered at the site of the accident, crying and hugging, lighting votive candles and leaving notes and flowers in memory of the hard-working student, who they said was loved by friends and teachers for his affability and integrity.

One boy sat alone at a distance, huddled and wiping away tears. Another wrote: “This message is for anyone who takes time for granted. Today, go home, hug your dad, kiss your mom, play with your brother or sister, and call your grandparents. They’re not always going to be around.”

Anthony Brooks, a Pasadena High algebra teacher, said the circumstances of the crash have forced even those who didn’t know Atyemizian to confront their own mortality.

“I got a kid in my class who’s big, tough as nails, never shown any remorse for anything he’s done in life,” said Brooks. “He’s been in tears all day today.”

The accident also resonated through the tightknit Armenian community, in which Atyemizian played in various sports leagues, his classmates said. When one man, who said he didn’t know the boy, was asked why he came to the crash site, he replied: “Because he is Armenian and I am Armenian.”

The mood was somber at school throughout Wednesday, teachers said.

“We tried to do some work,” said geometry teacher Lawton Gray. “It wasn’t going to happen. Their hearts weren’t in it. Neither was mine.”

Reflective of the sorrow, the school marquee read, “We’ll miss you, Anto.”

Counselors were available and in high demand, as were priests and ministers. Students were also allowed to leave class for spells to pay their respects at the crash site. It was the first death of a Pasadena High student in years, teachers said.

“Just seeing that crash was horrible,” said Alanna Stoneking, 16, who was waiting for the bus when it happened. She said Atyemizian’s cousin was trying to help the boy, while his sister was screaming and other youths tried to lift the van.

“When you have something right in front of the school like this and most of the kids are out there, it hits directly at home,” said Brooks, the algebra teacher.

He said Atyemizian was one of his best students, neither shy nor in need of drawing attention to himself. “You could tell his integrity through his work ethic and his allegiance to his friends,” Brooks said. “You can tell the good ones.”

Atyemizian’s classmates said he was someone with whom no one got bored, who was razzed for always wearing his track jacket and the same red shorts, even on cold days.

“He was just a very sweet guy,” said Bianca Rodgers, 15.