‘You Are Not Alone’: More Than 1,000 Gather at Candlelight Vigil to Honor Dos Pueblos Students Killed in Crash
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - More than 1,000 people came together Thursday evening at a candlelight vigil to honor three Dos Pueblos High School students who were tragically killed in a head-on crash on Highway 1.
“You are not alone in this truth, you are not alone in this,” said Principal Bill Woodard, addressing the silent crowd with visible emotion. “To the boys’ families and closest friends — we are here with you. Your pain is our pain, and your sons will always be a part of the Dos Pueblos community.”
The victims — 18-year-old Jake Curtis of Goleta, 17-year-old Michael Ochsner, and 15-year-old Alexander Wood, both of Santa Barbara — worked together in the county’s Junior Lifeguard Program and had spent Sunday at Jalama Beach before the deadly crash.
The Greek Theatre at the school was filled with candlelight, tears, and heartfelt tributes. More than a dozen of the boys’ friends and family members spoke.
“Beautiful ceremony tonight. We are a community that lifts each other up. Much love to the friends and families,” the school wrote in an Instagram post.
