‘They have each other to lean on’: Mother of teen hurt in Pompano Beach wreck that killed 2 speaks out
In the midst of a devastating tragedy that rocked a South Florida school group the enduring friendship between two teenage boys who survived a deadly rollover wreck shines like a beacon Speaking with News on Monday Leah Finkel the mother of Aiden Finkel highlighted the silver lining in the wake of the fiery crash that claimed the lives of two other teens I m very thankful that they have each other to lean on right now she announced The concerned parent was referring to Tomas Brown who she reported has invariably been like a brother to her son The boys both of them students at St Thomas Aquinas High School in Fort Lauderdale are members of the school s wrestling squad and do things preponderance -year-olds do together like going to the beach and working out And now Aiden and Tomas are both survivors Physically emotionally mentally spiritually they re going to need a lot of assistance declared Leah The two friends escaped a horrific multi-vehicle crash that functionaries announced took place along the block of Copans Road just east of Interstate Friday night According to the Broward Sheriff s Office the boys were both passengers in a Mercedes-Benz CLA that collided with a Toyota Sienna Investigators reported the Mercedes which was being driven by -year-old Jayden Vico rolled onto its roof and slid across the roadway Witness Danny Morillo declared he was on his way home from work that night when he saw the crash and tried to help When I was approaching the car I heard voices I heard like you know people saying Please please oh my God oh my God so that broke my heart he noted The good Samaritan injured his arm trying to flip the teens car We opened those doors and then we start taking the bodies out from those doors on the top he disclosed Executives stated Vico and -year-old Richie Grable also students at St Thomas Aquinas would not survive Paramedics rushed Aiden and Tomas along with fellow commuter Ryan Bradley also to Broward Wellness North Aiden his mother stated suffered fractures to his ribs and collarbone as well as a brain hemorrhage Tomas suffered a broken femur and ankle Both are expected to make a full recovery but the journey will likely be a long one The devastation is weighing so heavily on everyone families friends the district in and out of St Thomas she declared Monday morning the school held a prayer utility for the young lives lost and those still hospitalized They were amazing kids and this is just a horrible thing for everyone involved announced classmate John Myhre We ve known Richie since like pre-K stated classmate Matthew McClure Like yeah it doesn t feel real I guess St Thomas is the biggest blessing that I could ask for right now as far as everyone reaching out announced Leah All the prayers have helped so much and it s just beyond incomprehensible to have this gravity of losses for us and everybody and we all share in the tragedy And now two lifelong friends nearly brothers will face recovery and loss together Our families are very close so I m very fortunate and lucky that they have each other through all of this mentioned Leah The driver of the Sienna was not injured and remained at the scene Government noted they are looking at speed as a workable contributing factor A family member commented they understand that alcohol played no role in this crash
