E.E. Smith and South View High Schools held a joint tribute last night to honor three students who died in a car crash last week. Before the football game, the families of Jai’Hyon Elliott, Trevor Merritt, and Nicholas Williams were invited onto the field for a brief ceremony. The South View football team presented each family with a signed helmet and custom shawl. School officials described the tribute as a show of support and unity following the incident.
The game, initially scheduled for last Friday, was rescheduled yesterday following an accident that occurred two nights before the original date. According to Principal Larry Parker Jr. in a statement to CBS 17, the decision to proceed with the game was made after discussions among the E.E. Smith players, who chose to play in recognition of their teammates.
As part of the community’s support, South View High School presented plaques to the families of the victims. “South View stands shoulder-to-shoulder with E.E. Smith during this time of heartbreak,” Principal Phyliss Jackson told WRAL News. Lillie Davis, the grandmother of Elliott, spoke to WRAL News about her grandson’s goals and thanked the Fayetteville community for their support and prayers. The ceremony also included a balloon release as a tribute of collective remembrance.
Both teams entered the field together in a unified entrance. In a statement to ABC11, E.E. Smith High School Principal Larry Parker referred to the three students as “amazing scholars and standout seniors.” The attendance at the game reflected a broader response from the community. Following the crash, the city announced plans to study Rosehill Road, the location of the incident, after previous concerns had been reported about that section of the roadway.
