On Tuesday night, hundreds gathered at East Hartford High School to remember two teenage brothers who died in a horrific crash
The vigil for La’Andrew and Robert Swain was just two days after the brothers perished in the crash early Sunday morning.
“It’s very heartbreaking, it hurts…it hurts a lot,” Robert Swain, the boy’s father said.
He was in disbelief and never got a chance to say goodbye.
“I lost my whole world…I lost my whole world. Those are my only two sons,” Swain explained.
Early Sunday morning, La’Andrew, 16, and Rob, 18, were in a BMW when it crashed on Forest Street in East Hartford.
The driver and another passenger were the only survivors. Police said they did not know the exact cause, but speed could have been one of several factors.
“Both of my kids were together… they always hang together and tragically I lost them,” Robert Swain added.
He said that Rob was planning to start college in a few weeksand they had just visited acollege in Massachusetts on Friday.
“When we got back here this is what we came back to,” Swain said.
La’Andrew was a student at Manchester Regional Academy. Rob had just graduated from East Hartford High, where he was a star athlete.
His former teammates say that he was an inspiration for dozens of students here.
“Everybody over here was touched by him. He had a great spirit and I really think he was one of a kind,” said David Tanner.
Losing these two so suddenlywas something this group could not comprehend.
“I don't want it to sink in.It hurts all of us,” Tanner added.
Police say the crash is under investigation.
Photo Credit: Family photos