Brandon Twp. – As news of the death of two former Brandon students still rings in the ears of the community, a healing process begins.
On Thurs., Sept. 18, best friends “Drew” Cooper, 17, and “Drew” Guellec died in a single car crash on Baldwin Road, in Hadley.
Brandon High School Social Worker, Stephen Kane said he is proud of how both students and staff have handled the tragic news.
“We all pick up in a situation like that,” said Kane. “We are the first line of response and my compliments go out to the student body for coming together.”
Kane said while the students process their grief in various ways, with their peers, he has had a few students approach him to talk.
“It’s important to talk with them,” said Kane. “Important to validate their feelings.”
Sudden death such as Guellec’s and Cooper’s are more difficult to process, according to Kane.
Teens are also in a different developmental stage than adults.
“They have knowledge of tragedies, but in reality when they see it happen to their peers it’s difficult for them to digest,” Kane said.
Although everyone processes grief differently, Kane cautions parents to be especially attentive to excessive grief warning signs such as denial or inability to accept the loss. Parents should also note signs of depression and anxiety issues, but most of all do very little talking and much more listening.
Guellec’s former hockey coach, and teacher, Brian Moore, preferred to talk about the goals of his former student.
Literally, Moore’s favorite story about hockey player #16, was how Guellec responded to his first goal on the Brandon Hockey team.
The first goal Guellec made was celebrated with innocence; a team goal that Moore says will always make him laugh.
In his sophomore year Guellec told Moore that he had always wanted to play on a hockey team. Since it was the starting year for the Brandon team, Moore encouraged Guellec to try out.
“He made it and became a decent player who loved the game, and it showed,” said Moore “it’s hard at the high school level to get into the action.”
“The first year he broke his collarbone and it was hard on him not to be able to play,” continued Moore “he tried to hide his injuries and would have a pained look on his face when he had to sit out of the game.”
When Moore’s wing made his first goal for the team, instead of celebrating the point by tossing his stick in the air or slapping high-fives all around, Guellec skated over to the bench, took off his glove and shook Coach Moore’s hand.
“I still think about that and laugh at the pure innocence of it all,” said Moore.
After a short visit from Guellec last week, Moore said Guellec was excited and nervous about shipping out for the Navy in December.
“He was fired up about it,” said Moore “as a matter of fact the Navy was his rallying cry on the team.”
“It’s just such an odd situation that didn’t make sense.”
Moore said even though Guellec already graduated, the hockey team has their own memory of him and thinks positively about their former team mate.
“The team is a close knit bunch who rely on each other,” said Moore.
The team collectively showed their support to each other and the Guellec family, by sending flowers and wearing their team jerseys to the service.”
Kane said it is important to remember that each person processes grief at their own pace and degrees.
“We come to a point where we start to feel better,” said Kane “but, predictably we feel guilty about feeling good.”
“It’s normal, though and that is the ultimate goal of the grieving process,” said Kane.
Services were held for Drew Guellec on Sept. 22 at St. Anne Catholic Church, in Ortonville.
Services for Drew Cooper were held Sept. 21 at the Oakwood Community Church, in Brandon Township.