SMITH COUNTY (KYTX) - An east Texas student planning to begin his senior year at Whitehouse High School this fall has been killed in a car accident. Braxton Nuon, 17, died Sunday morning after losing control of his truck on a curb on FM 848.
CBS 19's Katiera Winfrey spoke to classmates gathered at the crash sight and shares what they said they'll remember most about their friend.
It's a summer starting off in tragedy, as a group of teenagers say farewell to a loved friend.
"Too many things to describe, I felt like every emotion at the same time..it was a lot to take in," said Nuon's friend Colton Tate.
He was one of nearly 50 teens gathered along the wood line on FM 848, where Nuon spent some of his last moments.
"Braxton was probably one of the coolest kids I've ever met in my life...funniest guy you could ever meet," Tate said.
DPS trooper Jean Dark said Nuon was traveling down FM 848 around 6:00 Sunday morning at an "unsafe" speed when he lost control on a curb, flipping his truck. He later died at ETMC hospital.
"It's really emotional, and I've been holding back," said friend Alex Woods.
Hugs and tears relay just a portion of the pain these kids feel.
"He was just there for everyone he just put a smile on everyone's face, when you were around him you couldn't help but smile," said Woods.
So now, they are there for him and each other.
Woods said, the magnitude of it all hasn't hit him yet, until it does, he's being a shoulder to lean on.
"I'm just one of those people that like to comfort other people and his time that's what he would be doing in this situation," he said.
As the group stands together near the crash site they collect what's left from his truck as a final memento.
"I love you bro and you have so much love for you down here and we're gonna miss you so much," Tate said.
DPS said Nuon was the only person in the truck at the time of the accident. There's no word yet on funeral arrangements.
TYLER (KYTX) - A one vehicle wreck leaves a Tyler teen dead Sunday morning
According to Trooper Jean Dark, Braxton Nuon, 18, lost control of his vehicle going around a curb at an unsafe speed. Nuon was driving a 2007 Chevy truck when he wrecked on FM 848.
The driver was pronounced dead by Dr. Daniel Alley at ETMC in Tyler at 11:58 Sunday afternoon.
No one else was injured during the accident.
