Hundreds gather to mourn Santa Clara teen killed in car crash

Vigil for 16-year-old Santa Clara student killed in crash

Hundreds of people came out to mourn the death of a 16-year-old high-school student from Santa Clara, who was killed in a crash over the weekend.

SANTA CLARA, Calif. - Hundreds gathered Monday night at Wilcox High School to honor 16-year-old Isaiah Mendoza, a standout athlete and student who was killed in a car crash over the weekend.

Mendoza was driving Saturday night on Lawrence Expressway, when police say his car veered into the path of another car and hit a pole.

At a candlelight vigil on the Wilcox High campus, family and friends remembered Mendoza as both a star athlete and a devoted friend. He played on the school’s soccer and baseball teams, and friends say he hoped to play collegiate baseball.

"It’s still not real that I won’t get to see him again or talk to him again," said Manuel Baez IV, one of Mendoza’s close friends. "He really was a good kid. Everyone loved him. You see how many people are here."

Others said Mendoza went out of his way to make people feel seen and cared for. "He was very caring and charming," said friend Gigi Garcia. "He put in the effort to make people feel like they mattered."

The school made grief counselors available to students and staff.

In a statement to KTVU, The Santa Clara Unified School District, said in part, "Our hearts are shattered and we join Isaiah's family, friends, and community in their grief...When devastating tragedies happen....Our district pulls in resources from across the district and partners with community agencies that specialize in grief for additional support."

A GoFundMe page has been set up to help Mendoza’s family cover funeral expenses.

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