WEST BEND -- West Bend school administrators say an 18-year-old man killed Monday afternoon as he filled his car with gas was a bright student with a promising future.
Students tell us it was a quiet day Tuesday as they walked through the halls in shock. Counselors were on hand, but these young men and women are getting by with the love and support of each other.
This is how friends want to remember Ryan Yauck.
“Everyone knew him as a very happy going person. He always brightened up everyone’s day," said Morgan Bould, friend.
Yauck was getting ready to graduate and attend the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
"He was 18 and a senior at East High School, Advanced Placement student, very bright young man," said Ted Neitzke, West Bend Schools superintendent.
A promising future was cut short around lunchtime Monday. As he filled his car with gas along Highway 45 near Chestnut Street, a car hit him.
“When we learned about this and informed his teachers in his schedule, I got to see how much this young man was loved by his teachers," said Neitzke.
Staff at his former grade school shared posts on social media Tuesday, expressing sadness. For close friends, the day has been especially difficult.
“Yea I mean, everyone’s still kind of in shock. We’re all like, that’s Ryan?" said Jillian Jaycox, friend.
This isn't the first time tragedy has struck West Bend's schools. In December of 2014, Luke Gromowski was a West Bend high school student who was killed in a car crash.
“Everyone’s just kind of there for us because our school went through this last year with Luke so, we’re all just kind of used to being there for everyone," said Jaycox.
Washington County Sheriff's deputies are investigating the accident. There's no further word yet about what caused the accident.
