RIP Nick G
As I write this I am feeling much sorrow, for Nick Grande's family, for his close friends, and for the entire student body and teachers of Smithville High.... I have watched so much grief in the past two days, much more than I have seen in many years. Everyone grieves in different ways. Some cry continually, while some cry only when others are not near, or only with their close friends, some don't cry at all, but you can tell they are crying inside. Some think they have to be strong for their friends around them, while others have just not yet realized the extent of what has happened. I have cried along with the students and i have been strong when I know it will help. I dont know much else what to do. I only knew Nick through the classes I was in with him, and seeing him around the school, but I still feel the sorrow of what has happened, We are such a close knit "Family" as some would say because we are such a small school. It has affected us all. I know Nick was a great person and he was always nice to me whenever I talked to him or was around him. He will be greatly missed by all of SHS. This has had an aweful effect on me so I can't even begin to know how much it has affected his close friends. I can see their pain and I feel helpless, all I can do is give them a hug and say a prayer for them, and I've been praying for their strength since I heard about everything on wednesday night. Such a young age to die.... Such terrible loss, yet in this terrible loss perhaps someone will be saved, because of him being an organ donor. I was so proud of the sophomores who planned for the wearing of Camo to honor Nick at school today. I've even more proud of the way they are holding themselves together. All I can do is pray and trust in God.
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For anyone who doesnt know what happened, here is the article... Say a prayer for his family, his friends, and Smithville High School.
Smithville teen dies following shooting accident
By CHRIS LEONARD and RACHEL JACKSON Staff Writers
about 17 hours ago
SMITHVILLE -- Principal Richard Bellanco typically describes the happenings in the hallways of Smithville High School as quiet.
"It's usually quiet," he said. "It's extra quiet today."
It's OGT week -- Ohio Graduation Testing week -- so students have been buckling down, studying hard.
But here at the 400-student body school, there's another reason for the quiet.
Wednesday afternoon, student Stefan Nicholas Grande, 16, was taken to Wooster Community Hospital after he was shot with a .22-caliber handgun by a juvenile family member, according to Smithville Police Chief Warren Caskey.
He was later transported to Akron City Hospital and Grande, a 10th-grader, died Thursday of his injuries.
Police believe the two individuals were cleaning guns at their home when a shot accidentally went off, penetrating Grande's head, Caskey said.
No adults apparently were home and the investigation remains ongoing, he said.
Caskey spent Thursday morning talking with students at Smithville High School and Greene Middle School, dispelling any possible rumors.
"An unfortunate accident occurred and now we have a tragic situation," he said.
It's important to "double-check, triple-check," to prevent future accidents, he said, when handling guns. Such accidents are very infrequent in Smithville, Caskey said.
He encouraged students to communicate with each other, with staff members, even offered his own time to students who may need someone to talk to, he said.
Both schools had extra counselors and youth pastors on hand Thursday, administrators said.
Bellanco described Grande -- commonly known as "Nick" to his friends and teachers -- as a model student.
"If we had a school full of Nick Grandes, nothing bad would ever happen. ... It was just a freak situation," he said.
