Manny Pena just graduated from Roosevelt High School. He was just getting ready to start a new chapter in his life.
The 18-year-old is one of two recent student deaths for Roosevelt. The tragedy is so difficult for friends that they met Thursday on campus to share their favorite memories.
Pena died in a car crash on the I-35 access road near Selma. It was around 4 a.m. when Pena somehow lost control of his vehicle, trapping him inside as the vehicle caught fire.
His friends, like Natalie Reyes and Sonterra Anderson, said that Pena never had a bad day. He was also involved in countless organizations.
"He would drop everything that he was doing," Reyes said. "’What's wrong? What can I do to fix this?’ I promise you that every single person he spoke to, he touched in some type of way. He made them better, because he definitely made me better."
In school, everyone knew Pena because he was involved in so many activities. He was a leader, and was connected to groups like PALS, Peer Assistance Leadership and Service, where he was able to serve others and practice what he wanted to do, teach.
"We all lost a wonderful friend," Anderson said. "And he will live within our memories. It is very hard to deal with it, but I have my things, my memories, my letters that he has given me that I kept that I can re-read and everything. At least he gave me something to hold on to."
The students say they will do their best to keep his legacy going.
"He was my role model, and I am going to continue to try and build myself to be how he was, and how he will forever be in my heart," Reyes said.
The students are planning on having a vigil at the school and have started a GoFundMe account for his family.