Teen killed in crash, brother still fighting for his life

ALBANY, GA (WALB) - A wooden cross stands on the corner of South Valencia Drive and West Lincoln Avenue.

It's there to remember one high school senior who was killed in a car crash.

And as of Monday night, that teen's older brother was still fighting for his life.

Kyree Grier, 19, was driving on Valencia towards Lincoln before he accelerated quickly, lost control, and hit two trees.

His brother, Karon, 17, was in the passengers seat.

He died on the scene.

Kyree graduated from Monroe High School just last year and Karon was set to graduate at the end of this school year.

On Monday, Karon's classmates leaned on each other for support as they remembered him, and prayed for his older brother to pull through.

"We just, like, couldn't believe it," said Keshia Welch.  "We couldn't believe it."

Now as police work to find answers, friends and family struggle with questions no piece of evidence can solve.

"Some of them don't understand why this happened, because like I said, he was a good person," said Welch. "So then I just say, 'God comes back and gets the good people.  He doesn't want bad people. God wants good people.'  So we just need to come together as one, we have to be strong, we have to have the shoulder to lean on.  Stuff like this brings us closer, but we should already be closer. "

Welch said her son was a good friend of Karon's.

They played football together.

So she came by the memorial to send her prayers to the family.

"Let them know that we're here for them," she said.  "This could have been my child, it could have been my child.  And he was like my child. So I just want everybody to pray for his family and all of his friends."

The teenagers' friends were struggling Monday at school as well.

"It wasn't a typical morning, I can tell you that," said Principal Vinson Davis. "It's been very tough for the kids and the school family, the whole school family."

But through the pain, students leaned on one another for support.

They decided to hold a candlelight vigil to remember Karon and to pray for Kyree.

And with every poster they made, a prayer went out to the Grier family.

"I'm just asking God to give my Monroe family strength, all his friends, because he will be missed, and he was truly a good person," said Welch.

Students held a candlelight vigil for the two brothers Monday night at the Monroe High School auditorium.

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