The one mile that separates Texas Christian University an R.L. Paschal High School in Fort Worth was bridged by tragedy Thursday.
Students from both campuses gathered on the high school's football field to remember Drew Medford. The 2016 high school graduate was killed in a car crash early Thursday morning on the Chisholm Trail Parkway, less than a week before he was due to start classes at TCU.
"When I heard the news, your heart sinks because you spend so much time with him, and you start to think he's your own son. He had his future in front of him," said Darrell Preston, Medford's high school baseball coach. "I'm always going to look down at that field and I'm going to see Drew putting in the work. It's an inspiration."
Medford was a standout athlete, earning all-state honors in baseball. He signed a scholarship to play at TCU. Though he never wore the purple and white in a game TCU Head Baseball Coach Jim Schlossnagle said Medford was very much a part of the team.
"He was a very talented athlete, competitive, and had an unbelievable desire to be at TCU, which is really important to us," Schlossnagle said. "He was in during the summer in the weight room, trying to get ready for the fall. We saw him everyday, and he was just in my office yesterday."
Medford's impact at Paschal was evident in each tearful embrace between the hundreds of students, teachers and parents at Thursday's vigil.
A funeral will be held next week.
Local
The latest news from around North Texas.
The Paschal baseball team will dedicate the upcoming season to their former teammate.
"He was the greatest kid I ever met. He changed my life, motivated me," said Sergio Conchas, who knew Medford since the two were 5 years old. "He was my brother. The brother I never had."
