BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — Bishop Timon High School will hold a prayer service Monday morning for a recent graduate who died in a head-on crash.
New York State Police said 18-year-old Cameron Velasquez of Buffalo died after his vehicle collided with a tractor-trailer Friday evening.
Velasquez had plans to come home to Buffalo this weekend and play some hockey with his long-time friend Luke Pukalo, according to Luke's dad, Mark Pukalo.
Pukalo said they were dorm-mates at Alfred State, played hockey in high school together, and just made the Alfred State hockey team.
"[We were] super excited that they made the Alfred State club hockey team...and then this tragedy happened," he said.
Velasquez is a recent graduate of Bishop Timon High School.
"Very polite, he was a gentleman. His mother did a fine job raising him. He was a hard-worker," said Pukalo. "It should not happen. You should not have to bury your own child."
7 Eyewitness News caught up with Velasquez's high school hockey coach over the phone on Sunday, who describes Velasquez as a free-spirit who always had a smile on his face.
"He was part of the glue to the tight-knit group that they had," said David Panek. "He had a goofy side to him with a fun side."
Pukalo set up a GoFundMe page Saturday night to help cover funeral costs.
Bishop Timon High School is hosting a prayer service in the school's gym on Monday at 8 a.m.
Alfred State Hockey also paid tribute to Velasquez on its social media pages.
Last night we lost one our own, Cameron Valesquez, in a fatal car crash. He was a great teammate and became a brother to so many of us in such little time. He will always be missed in the Alfred community. ❤️#GoneButNeverForgotten
— Alfred State Hockey (@ASC_Hockey) October 5, 2019
