When My best Friend died I would Cry to this song.....
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Friday, Jan. 22, 1999
Cullen student dies in collision
Alfred Reyna, 14, is remembered as popular, bright, athletic boy
By NOVELDA SOMMERS
Staff Writer
Cullen Middle School eighth-grader Alfred Reyna never got to reap the rewards of making the A-B honor roll this six weeks.
Alfred, 14, was killed in a traffic accident at 8:52 a.m. Thursday as his mother drove him to school, police said.
Alfred and his mother, Rosemary Reyna, 45, were taken to Spohn Memorial Hospital, where Alfred died shortly before 1 p.m. His mother was listed in serious but stable condition.
Jaime Rodriguez, Alfred's coach and athletics class teacher, said he had forgotten Wednesday to give Alfred his Academic Express packet containing coupons and rewards for making good grades.
Rodriguez said he probably would have given it to him Thursday.
"I was just talking to the assistant principal about what a great guy (Alfred) is," Rodriguez said. "He knew what was expected of him and he did it."
Alfred's mother was driving south on Staples Street making a left turn onto Gollihar Road when she turned into the path of an oncoming Ford pickup, said Senior Officer Scott Leeton of the Corpus Christi Police Department.
Her view may have been blocked by a northbound vehicle turning left onto Gollihar, he said.
Both mother and son were wearing seatbelts, but that did not protect Alfred from the impact of the truck, Leeton said. The driver of the truck was not injured, Leeton said.
Cullen school officials said they plan to have extra counselors at the campus today. Officials said the students did not know about the accident Thursday and school went on as usual.
Today will be a difficult one for students, Rodriguez said.
"He was always having a good time with the kids," he said.
He said Alfred was particularly close with students in the athletic class, a tight-knit group of 23 that meets in the afternoons all school year.
Alfred was known to students and school staff as a happy-go-lucky boy and a snappy dresser who always had his hair styled perfectly, Rodriguez said.
During football season, he at times was a starting linebacker, but was a versatile player who could perform wherever he was needed, Rodriguez said.
Rodriguez said he didn't know what he would tell his students today to help them cope with Alfred's death. He said he probably would ask permission to meet with football players and students from the athletic class early in the day instead of waiting until afternoon.
"I don't know how they're gonna take it," he said. "We'll get together and we'll get through it."