Hundreds pay respects to crash victim

Friends of Corey Swartz lined up from the funeral home parking lot for calling hours.

Hundreds pay respects to crash victim

sharon, pa.

In the chill of late afternoon Tuesday, people waited in huddled groups outside the J. Bradley McGonigle Funeral Home on State Street.

The line to get into the building trailed out the door. Inside, it wound slowly around the foyer then up a long hallway to the room where the family of Corey Swartz, 17, accepted condolences from hundreds of people who then filed past his casket.

Calling hours were beginning for Corey — one of three people who died Friday night in a car crash that stunned the community.

Police are still investigating the wreck, which happened on East Connelly Boulevard. It also killed Evan Gill, 17, and John Zdelar Jr., 50, of Brookfield. Corey and Evan were varsity football players at Sharon, and Zdelar was a husband and father.

Police said Corey was driving an SUV that crossed the center line and hit Zdelar’s pickup truck. Evan and two other football players, twins Craig and Greg Osmon, were riding in the SUV. The Osmons were injured and taken to St. Elizabeth Health Center. In the pickup, Evan Wallace, 10, and Blake Yenderak, 12, both of Brookfield, were not seriously hurt.

Corey’s calling hours were the first of the three crash victims. His family accepted condolences from hundreds of people.

Among the mourners who waited as the line slowly inched its way forward were many teenagers — classmates and friends who wore the orange and black of the Sharon Tigers, and even football players from other schools.

Players from Kennedy Catholic, Sharpsville, Wilmington and Hickory high schools were planning to help by serving hot chocolate and coffee to mourners.

On tables alongside the hallway were pictures of Corey and friends.

“Ah, Corey!” said Sharon sophomore Jordan Templeton, his eyes lighting up when he saw them.

A slide show on the wall above the tables told the tale of a teenager whose life was like that of any other. There was Corey with three other friends in Santa hats. A group shot of boys in football jerseys included Corey as a sophomore. His friends pointed him out in a photo of happy couples dressed up for homecoming.

“Corey was one of my best friends,” said Sharon senior Dan Templeton. “He always knew how to have a good time,” he continued.

“He always had a smile on his face, always saw good in things. We love him,” he said.

“He was a great kid,” said senior Kody Daugherty. “He had his whole life ahead of him.”