STANWOOD — There was a moment of silence at Stanwood High School on Wednesday morning as students remembered a classmate known as a “kind spirit” and a “quiet leader.”
Blair Buchanan, 17, died Monday night after a car crash.
Buchanan was a high school senior and an athlete who played football and wrestled for school teams. He grew up going to Stanwood schools.
Friends and family members gathered at the school Tuesday night for a candlelight vigil in his memory. Relatives of the boy met with school administrators and counselors.
A memorial is planned Sunday.
Buchanan’s car left the road, hit several trees and landed in the bottom of a gully Monday. Road construction workers found the wreckage of the car about 8:20 a.m. Tuesday in the 6700 block of 268th Street NW, Stanwood Police Chief David Bales said.
The Snohomish County Medical Examiner’s Office reported that Buchanan died of blunt force injuries to his head and chest as a result of the car accident.
Police continue to investigate, Bales said. They found evidence suggesting the car was speeding, he said.
Buchanan’s parents gave school officials permission to release the boy’s name and tell students and staff about his death, school district spokeswoman Cathy Britt said.
Extra counselors were at the school Wednesday to help students cope with the loss. In addition, Buchanan’s closest friends are receiving special counseling.
The news of Blair’s death came as a shock, Dick Abrams, head football coach and teacher, said in a prepared statement released by the high school.
“Blair was one of the real kind spirits on our team,” Abrams said. “He was a true team player and supported his fellow athletes in every aspect of their lives on the field and off the field. He was an extraordinary team player.”
Buchanan was a quiet leader who helped his fellow students, said Brenda Taylor, who taught him this semester in her current world problems class.
“He was the rock of his class groups and you would know it when they benefited from his quiet leadership, because Blair would have the biggest smile on his face,” Taylor said. “He liked to work in small groups and it was very powerful to watch him quietly lead his group members to work hard so that all of his group members would gain a sense of understanding from the lessons.”
Buchanan was hard-working, said Tom Wilfong, interim athletic director and dean of students. Wilfong coached him on the wrestling team and in weight training class.
“As a student, Blair was quiet and hardworking,” Wilfong said. “He got along with everyone in all groups of students and he had a lot of friends. As an athlete, Blair was very self-motivated and enjoyed competitive sports.”
Herald Writer Jackson Holtz ontributed to this report.
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