Family, friends and classmates of a teenage girl killed in a Fremont car crash said their mournful goodbyes during a prayer service Monday night.
Love, grace and beauty were just a few of the ways Shane Marcelino, 18, was remembered at St. Anne's Catholic Church in Union City. The senior at James Logan High School was killed early Sunday morning in a violent crash while riding home in her mother’s car after prom night. It's the second time this school year a senior at the high school has been killed in a car accident.
Friends said Marcelino was passionate about music and was scheduled to sing at the church Sunday night during Mass.
"She was very active in the church and had a beautiful voice," Rev. Jun Manalo said.
It was hard for some of Marcelino's friends to put their emotions into words, but a few managed.
"She was always caring," one friend said. "Every time you see her, she would be happy."
Marcelino’s smiling face was projected on the wall inside the parish at St. Anne’s. It was a night filled with a lot of hugs and pain.
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"When you were down, she would look after you and make sure you are OK," another friend said.
On the James Logan campus earlier Monday, grief counselors helped students and staff cope with their loss.
"She was a wonderful young lady," said John Mattos, a spokesman for the New Haven Unified School District. "She was in band and got great grades taking AP and college prep classes, and students really liked her."
Marcelino's good friend David Willkom said she always made people smile.
"She was like the funniest person ever," he said. "I want her to be remembered as a person who was always willing to help someone no matter what."
Marcelino's mother, who was driving the car, suffered major injuries in the crash on Fremont Boulevard at about 2:30 a.m. Sunday. She remained hospitalized Monday.
Fremont police are investigating whether alcohol may have played a role in the crash that also injured two men in the other vehicle. So far, no arrests have been made, and the two men were cooperating with the investigation.
Marcelino's classmate, senior Izaiah Meased, died in a car accident in September. Seniors at James Logan plan to honor both students with a moment of silence during graduation ceremonies next month.
