Fayetteville, NC — The Fayetteville community awoke this morning to the tragic news that three young lives were taken in a devastating one-car crash on Rosehill Road, leaving a deep and painful void at EE Smith High School and in the hearts of everyone who knew them. The victims, all standout football players, were students full of potential, their futures forever altered in an instant.
The accident occurred late last night when the vehicle, driven by an Army soldier, veered off the road. Emergency responders arrived promptly, but the young athletes were declared dead at the scene. The driver, identified as an active-duty soldier, was transported to UNC Hospitals in Chapel Hill for treatment. Authorities have confirmed that the circumstances surrounding the crash remain under investigation, though the community is left reeling, searching for answers amid the grief.
The loss is felt most profoundly at EE Smith High School, known for its thriving athletics program and close-knit student body. The Cumberland County Schools district has deployed grief counselors to provide immediate emotional support to the school’s students, staff, and faculty, helping them navigate the overwhelming sorrow of such a sudden loss.
Students and staff remember the three athletes not only for their skills on the football field but for their integrity, leadership, and the positivity they radiated. They were athletes who inspired their teammates, worked hard for their goals, and brought light to the school. The news of their untimely deaths has left their friends, coaches, and classmates struggling to come to terms with what feels like an impossible tragedy.
The football players were seen as the very embodiment of hope and promise—young men whose lives, though brief, were marked by joy, ambition, and the unspoken desire to give back to their community. Their families, still in shock, are receiving an outpouring of support from the Fayetteville community, and countless people have shared heartfelt tributes online, paying homage to their lives.
In the face of this loss, the town of Fayetteville has rallied together. Local residents, alumni, and friends have been showing up in solidarity, sending messages of love and support to the grieving families. The resilience of this community, so tightly bound by shared experience, is evident in the efforts to honor the memory of these young men—keeping their spirits alive through stories, moments of silence, and a united call for healing.
Though the next few weeks will be filled with grief and reflection, the EE Smith High School family has shown that even in the darkest of times, compassion, unity, and care for one another will light the way. It is the strength of this community that will help guide students through this unbearable loss.
As the investigation continues and the community searches for answers, our thoughts are firmly with the families of the three football players, as well as the soldier who remains in the hospital. May we find comfort in the collective memories of these young lives who, in their short time with us, made an indelible mark on the hearts of all who knew them.
Rest in peace, young men. Your courage, friendship, and determination will never be forgotten.