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Authorities said victims Paul Lingley IV, 17, and Greyer Schwegel, 18, were both pronounced dead at the scene
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- Alaska authorities said Paul Lingley IV, 17, and Greyer Schwegel, 18, were riding their dirt bikes on July 14 when they collided with each other and died
- Paul IV’s father, Paul Lingley III, remembered his son as a lover of basketball who always helped out his three younger siblings
- “I was there when they pronounced him deceased,” Paul III said about the incident, adding, “It was tough, really tough … I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy.”
A single father is mourning his oldest son, who died in a head-on dirt bike collision with his friend in Alaska.
Paul IV, 17, and Greyer Schwegel, 18, were riding their bikes together in Hollis when they collided on July 14, Alaska State Troopers said in a dispatch. Despite the efforts of first responders, they both died at the scene.
“I was there when they pronounced him deceased,” Paul Lingley III told NBC affiliate KTUU about the incident. “It was tough, really tough … I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy.”
He remembered his son — who would have started his senior year at Klawock High School in August — for his love of basketball and his dedication to helping with his three younger siblings at home.
“I’ve been a single dad for like the last five years, and he helped me a lot,” Paul III said. “He would help me get the kids at school when I was at work, and most of the time they were on time. He did a lot of the cleaning in the kitchen and that was kind of his job.”
Elsewhere in the interview, Paul III described his son as “a good kid, really good kid, hard worker,” adding, “He loved everybody, loved his friends, loved his family.”
He also highlighted his eldest son’s friendship with Greyer, noting that they’d gotten particularly close “towards the end of the school year.” He said, “Paul always talked about him.”
A GoFundMe has been set up to help Paul IV’s family.
“No parent should ever have to face this kind of pain, and we hope to ease at least some of the financial burden so he can focus on grieving and being surrounded by loved ones,” the fundraiser description reads in part.
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Greyer’s father, Cody Schwegel, also spoke to KTUU and said that the crash was head-on. He remembered his son as someone who was always willing to help his friends.
In a GoFundMe created for his family, the late teen was described as being “deeply loved by his family, friends, and the entire island community.”
“With a heart for Jesus, Greyer was always looking for ways to help others. His compassion and kindness left a lasting impact on everyone who knew him, and his loss has left a profound void in the lives of those around him,” the tribute continued.
PEOPLE contacted the GoFundMe organizers for both campaigns on Monday, July 20, and Tuesday, July 21, but did not receive immediate replies.
Read the original article on People
