Remembering victims with tears, laughter

Two burials remain, one today and one Saturday.
By PATRICIA MEADE
VINDICATOR CRIME REPORTER
YOUNGSTOWN -- "Close your eyes," the football coach said, his voice cracking, "and think of the crazy, silly things these two did."
Seated in bleachers, hundreds of Cardinal Mooney High School students closed their eyes. The soft sounds of them shifting slightly in their seats could be heard in the cavernous gym.
Slowly, smiles spread across their young faces as they remembered Anthony C. Childs, 18, and Isiah Thomas, 16. The Cardinal Mooney football players, along with their friend, Amanda M. Ferraro, 16, a Fitch High School student, died together in a one-car crash in Mill Creek Park last weekend.
The lives of the three teenagers ended as quickly as a candle flame caught in a breeze. They died on impact when their car rammed head-on into boulders that line Axe Factory Run bridge.
Still hospitalized in serious condition is the driver, Christiaen A. Lively, 18, a Mooney senior. Karla Kovalchik, 14, a student at St. Joseph's in Austintown, remains in critical condition. Her sister, Lia Kovalchik, 16, a Mooney student, is in stable condition.
Looking back
"I can hear Anthony talking trash, how he was going to take me outside, beat me up ...," Mooney Coach Chris Amill said, grinning. "Isiah's smile would light up a room. I remember his best line: 'My name is Bobby Johnson.'"
(Johnson had been a football standout for Miami University).
Amill was one of several speakers Thursday afternoon at Cardinal Mooney's memorial service, which included prayers for Amanda, whose Mass was earlier in the day at St. Joseph Church in Austintown. Prayers also were said for the three teenagers still hospitalized.
"Jesus always seems to have the right words, no matter what the occasion," said the Rev. Stephen Popovich, pastor at Immaculate Heart of Mary. "He invites, Anthony, Isiah, Amanda, Christiaen, Lia and Karla into his outstretched hands."
The pastor asked those assembled to join in as he sang "Lean on Me," the Bill Withers love song that begins: "Sometimes in our lives we all have pain/we all have sorrow/but if we are wise/we know that there's always tomorrow."
The pastor said God "needs all of you to minister to one another."
Sharing memories
Mooney football players Jeff Mitchell and Dan Young shared their memories of Isiah (jersey No. 22), who was buried today. Then football players Ron Stoops and Frank Cassese shared their memories of Anthony (jersey No. 21), who will be buried Saturday in Washington, D.C.
So far, two busloads of Mooney students will travel to the nation's capital for the service.
Jeff said he had so many good memories of Isiah, including Isiah's nickname, "Grocery Bag." He said his friend had been a truly genuine good person.
Laughter filled the gym when Jeff explained how he cut Isiah's hair, accidentally cutting a bald spot into the back of his head. To check the damage, Isiah held a big mirror in front of his face and a small one behind his head.
"He couldn't figure out why he couldn't see the back of his head," Jeff said.
He received thunderous applause when he ended by saying, "We'll never forget that big, humungous, gigantic smile."
Dan said Isiah brightened his day and showed what it means to be part of Mooney football. "We reminisced [Wednesday] night and all agreed he was fast -- had great potential."
Touched their lives
Ron recalled his first sight of Anthony -- in purple sweat pants. "Little did we know that he would touch our lives forever."
Sunday, March 28, put everything into perspective, Frank told his fellow students. That's when the news came that Anthony, Isiah and Amanda had died the night before.
Frank described Anthony as having a funny sense of humor and kind heart. He said the 2003 football team will always remember Anthony and will be "reunited and play again in a better place."
Eight Mooney girls in long white dresses then performed a dance reflection to Josh Groban's stirring song "You Raise Me Up."
Amanda's service
For Amanda at St. Joseph Church, the crucifix, draped in purple for her funeral Mass, was bathed in the gentle glow of candles.
Heart-wrenching sobs could be heard as the cloth-draped casket was pushed into place near the altar.
The church was filled with mourners, including Fitch and Mooney students.
Deacon Michael Roberts described Amanda as a "beautiful young girl" and said death is difficult to understand and harder to explain when a teenager dies. "Faith will sustain us as we struggle with the death of Amanda and the others who died," he said.
He said the teenagers are at peace.
Nathaniel Pinkard, Mill Creek MetroParks police chief, said the accident remains under investigation.
meade@vindy.com