Superintendent hit hard by double fatal

WYOMING, Mich. (WOOD) - The Wyoming Public Schools superintendent says student deaths of any kind are a school leader's worst fear, but Sunday morning's crash that killed two students was "extra hard" because he knows very well a parent of one of the two teens who was killed.

"When I saw the name I was like 'oh my gosh,'" said Dr. Thomas Reeder, the Wyoming Public Schools superintendent. "It's gonna be extra hard for me...(one of the students' parents is) someone that I graduated with when I went to school.

"This is just a tragic reminder of what life can throw a curve at you at any time."

Two Wyoming High School teens, a 17-year-old boy and a 15-year-old girl, died in a rollover crash on the I-196 off-ramp to Chicago Drive in Wyoming. Three others were injured.

Reeder is in his first year as superintendent in the district and said the issue came up in a conversation toward the beginning of the year.

"Someone asked me at the beginning of the year, 'What would be your worst case scenario?'" he said.

His answer: "Student deaths for any reason... is gonna be the worst possible thing."

Two of the surviving students had only minor injuries and one was seriously hurt. All of them are expected to recover from their injuries, Reeder said.

A crisis team has been activated and will be available at the school for students who need it. Reeder said school leaders were in the process of deciding when the team would be available at the school.

A vigil was held Sunday night at Wyoming Park High School.

The timing of the incident also adds to the tragedy.

"You've got seniors involved and we've got graduation in a week," Reeder said. "I don't know where you can have anything worse that can happen."

Reeder said he is not clear where the students were coming from or where they were going when the crash happened sometime before 4:18 a.m. Sunday. He says students in need of help should stop by the school for support.

"I just can't imagine anything worse," he said. "We just have to work our way through it."