PHOENIX — A 16-year-old boy has died and another teen boy is in the hospital with serious injuries after a crash in north Phoenix Sunday morning.
Phoenix police say the crash happened near 43rd Avenue and Happy Valley Road around 1:30 a.m. on Sunday.
VERSIÓN EN ESPAÑOL: Amigos y familiares recuerdan con cariño al joven que perdió la vida en accidente vial al norte de Phoenix
The department said their car was headed south on 43rd Avenue toward Happy Valley Road when the driver lost control and hit a curb, causing the car to roll until it hit a tree.
The two teen boys in the car were taken to the hospital. The passenger, 16-year-old Ryley Young, later died. The driver, who has not been identified, is still in critical condition.
Since this morning, a memorial has been growing near the scene of the crash.
Family and friends have been leaving flowers, candles and especially baseball memorabilia in honor of Young, who was a sophomore and played baseball at Sandra Day O'Connor High School in Phoenix.
"He was amazing, he was talented, he was kind, he was loving, smart," Young's aunt, Susie Godines, said. "He just was everything to us."
Godines said Young excelled at everything he did, especially baseball.
"Winning championships, being on all-star teams, travel teams, I mean, you name it," Godines said.
But nothing was more important to Young than his family and friends.
"My whole world revolved around him," Godines said.
"I know we weren't blood but our friendship was so strong that he was a brother to us," Young's friend, Kane Garcia, said.
Dozens of those friends gathered on Sunday evening to light candles, place flowers and share memories of Young.
"He's always the positive," Ashton Griffith, another one of Young's friends, said. "He's always the hype man. He's always keeping it rolling."
Godines said Young's life was one taken far too soon.
"We really had such high hopes and dreams for him," Godines said. "He had dreams."
But, she added, the impact he made in his life won't soon be forgotten.
"It was hard," Godines said. "Today was the hardest day of my life, but it was a little better knowing how many people loved him. Everybody who knew him loved him."
Friends have created a GoFundMe page to help the Young family play for Ryley's funeral expenses. If you would like to donate, click here.
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