By Lydia Bradley

With an outpouring of butterflies and a financial support the Eaton Community has come together as a family to  mourn the loss of Junior Ryan Pickett . Pickett was injured after a car accident just outside of Fort Lupton on Saturday Jan. 17. In honor of Pickett, who was an active band member, Katie Byrne and other band members began a “gofundme” account for the Pickett family. As of Tuesday, the fund has collected over $11 thousand. The accident happened on U.S 85 and Weld County Road 14 1/2 when the Pickett’s van was rear-ended at a stop light. A tow-truck hit the van carrying Ryan, his grandmother, aunt, parents and younger brother. Ryan, who suffered severe head trauma was taken off of life-support on Sunday morning.

EHS band teacher, Logan Doddridge remembers Pickett as the quiet but yet quirky band member. Doddridge said, “Ryan was the glue that held us all together”. Doddridge remembers rehearsing with band, especially the marching band and seeing Pickett just dancing and just having fun. But Doddridge remembers Pickett as a younger version of himself in band.  Chemistry teacher Gino Maio, had Pickett in class for almost two years but enjoyed the simple interactions that both him and Pickett had in class.  Maio said, “Ryan was a kind-hearted and hardworking kid”. Maio will remember as a real quiet kid but he also had a good sense of humor.

College Prep (CP) Biology teacher Molly Maguire remembers Pickett and Clayton Baker in CP. But for Maguire this was not just about losing a student, there was a pain from being a mother and thinking that this could happen to her. Maguire said, “When you’re a mother and you hear about another mother losing her baby, it’s one of the hardest things”. A Celebration of Life will be held for Pickett at 10 am on Saturday Jan. 24 at the Evangelical Free Church in Eaton.