Memorial convoy honors lives of 2 Trinity students
Courtesy of Christa Bolen
Nevaeh Sheets was known for loving music and spreading positivity wherever she went, said her mother, Christa Bolen.
Katherine Mansfield/Observer-Reporter
Amber Sweat, who worked with both Nevaeh Sheets and her mother, Christa Bolen, attended the memorial convoy Monday evening. “At 17, she left a major impact on this world,” Sweat said.
Katherine Mansfield/Observer-Reporter
More than 100 people turned out with flowers, crosses and other tributes Monday evening, to remember the lives of Justin Crawford and Nevaeh Sheets. The two 17-year-olds from Washington were killed in a one-vehicle accident Saturday.
Katherine Mansfield/Observer-Reporter
Nevaeh Sheets’ best friend Madesyn Collins, left, and mother Christa Bolen console one another during the memorial convey and service Monday evening along East Maiden Street.
Katherine Mansfield/Observer-Reporter
The wind takes balloons up past the trees and into the cloudy skies Monday evening during the memorial convoy service in memory of Justin Crawford and Nevaeh Sheets, both 17. The pair were killed in a one-vehicle accident along East Maiden Street Saturday night.
Madesyn Collins steadies herself against the memorial tree while Chloe Crowe, left, offers consolation. Collins and Nevaeh Sheets were best friends.
Katherine Mansfield/Observer-Reporter
Justin Crawford’s grandfather, Terry Martin, center, holds hands with Crawford’s father figure Paul Howard, left, during the memorial convoy service along East Maiden Street Monday evening. Martin said the turnout is a tribute to the impact both his grandson and Nevaeh Sheets made on the community.
When folks arrived to the site of Justin Crawford and Nevaeh Sheets' roadside memorial, two candles, one for each 17-year-old, was lit and flowers already placed by family members and friends. More than 100 people turned out for the memorial convoy Monday evening to add to the tribute.
More than 100 people in nearly as many trucks and cars processed from the Beau Street Park and Ride to a section of East Maiden Street Monday evening as part of a memorial convoy honoring the lives of Justin Crawford and Nevaeh Sheets.
Crawford and Sheets, both 17 and both from Washington, were killed in a one-vehicle car accident along East Maiden Street late Saturday night.
“There isn’t any words, there isn’t anything that anybody can do,” said Sheets’ mother Christa Bolen. “She was a great kid. She was so excited, she was getting ready to graduate Toni&Guy (Hairdressing Academy) and high school. She just got a brand new car, she was learning to drive. She was so smart. She was just such a positive person.”
Positivity shone through the solemnity Monday evening as family members, friends and those whose lives both Crawford and Sheets touched gathered for a balloon release, laying of flowers and swapping of memories.
“At 17, she left a major impact on this world,” said Amber Sweat, who worked with both Sheets and Bolen. “Nevaeh had an awesome personality. They had their whole lives.”
Friends remembered the dash of spice that colored their sweet friend, joking Sheets could dish it but was, at her core, compassionate.
“She was a little feisty,” Chloe Crowe smiled through tears. “She cared a lot. She would do anything for her friends.”
Both Crawford and Sheets had large groups of friends that became family. Crawford was a car enthusiast who played in a flag football league Saturdays while Sheets, an outgoing aspiring cosmetologist, cheered him on from the sidelines at Vernon C. Neal Sportsplex.
“No matter the score, Justin gave me 100%,” said Paul Howard, Crawford’s coach and a father figure who met the young man eight years ago, when his own son, Izeah Howard, introduced Crawford to the family. “That was his time to go and just be one of the boys and show off for Neveah. She sat on the bench to watch them. He loved her. They had bright futures ahead of them. What I want them both to be remembered for is just being amazing kids and amazing friends, all the jokes, memories and good times they had with everyone they came in contact with.”
Crawford’s grandfather, Terry Martin, recalled his grandson’s love for cars – “He was into exotics,” Martin said – and laughed at Crawford and his friends’ good-natured antics.
“It was a great group,” Martin said. “We bought this Trans Am, it was almost all original. They started this game, if they saw me out in the car, they’d send him a message, they got a point.”
Many of those friends had talked with Crawford and Sheets Saturday evening. One friend, Geovanni Medina, said he’d spoken with Crawford about an hour before the accident and didn’t believe the news when it broke.
“I was friends with both of them. It messed me up bad. It’s hard for me right now. I was on the phone with him before he was leaving the Sportsplex. When I heard that happened, I ran from my house in Amity to the hospital in Washington. I came over here at like 2:30 in the morning,” Medina said.
He and other friends and family members of the young couple circled up, swapping stories, wiping away tears, trying to make sense of the tragedy.
“I just don’t know what to do waking up Sunday mornings and him not be on my couch anymore,” said Howard. “There are about 10 of them who come to my house for dinners, UFC, Steelers (games), Christmas. (Crawford) grew into family. I treated him like he was my own: He got yelled at for doing dumb stuff and praised for good, just like I do them all. He was a good kid and an extremely good friend. No matter what the situation, Justin was always there to defend his friends, brothers.”
The convoy was organized by the Washington nonprofit United We Smile and Tristate Truck Mafia, to which Blayr Brown, Bolen’s longtime boyfriend and Sheets’ father figure, belongs.
“My whole truck community is standing behind me. They’re here for us. The support that I have and (Christa) has, we’re gonna be OK one day,” Brown said. “They’re here right now making sure we don’t want or need anything.”
Brown, who helped Bolen through the loss of her son, Kobe, about six years ago, tried to stay strong Monday and focused on what he loved most about Sheets.
She was “outgoing, loved music, had the most hours on Spotify that you’ve ever seen,” laughed Brown. “The girl was outgoing. She was straight-up and honest. Her middle name was Angel and that’s what she was. Her name spelled backward is ‘heaven.’ There’s not a word on this world left to express her.”
To alleviate financial stresses, family friend John Perry, of Claysville, organized a GoFundMe for Nevaeh Sheets’ family.
“Blayr’s always been there for me any time. Day or night, he’s been a phone call away. I know he’s like that with everyone else,” said Perry, adding Brown and Sheets often fished together on his property. “I would gladly do anything I can do to help them out. I just really think the community can step up and help them.”
Folks are welcome to contribute to the GoFundMe at https://www.gofundme.com/f/nevaeh-sheets-family.
Howard launched a GoFundMe to help Crawford’s family with funeral and memorial costs. Donations may be made online at https://www.gofundme.com/f/vp9ug-justin-crawford.
South Strabane Fire Department, who responded to the scene and assisted with the convoy, will host a Bingo Night this Saturday, March 18, at 172 Oak Spring Road in Washington. Doors open at 4 p.m.; games begin at 5.
The event, which includes food and desserts, a silent auction and cash raffles, door prizes and games of chance, will support the families of Crawford and Sheets.
Donations may also be made to the families of Crawford and Sheets via South Strabane’s Venmo, username @SSFD44.