Habersham Central High School students started their day Tuesday with a moment of silence and many ended their day at a prayer vigil.
Throughout the day they showed their support for their classmate Hadden Carswell who was critically injured in a wreck Monday night.
Toccoa businessman, Hayward Cochran Jr. , 65, died in the wreck. His family too was showered with love and support during the prayer vigil at Raider Park on the Wilbanks Middle School campus in Demorest.
Cochran owned a cleaning service in Toccoa. Carswell is a 17-year-old student-athlete at Habersham Central. He’s the son of Mountain Judicial Circuit Juvenile Court Judge Nichole Carswell and Chris Carswell.
GSP release details of fatal crash
“Hadden Carswell is an outstanding member of the junior class at Habersham Central and our school family is saddened and shocked by this tragedy,” says school principal Jonathan Stribling.
Stribling held a moment of silence before class on Feb. 25 to give faculty, staff, and students time to reflect and pray for Hadden, his family, and his medical team.
The night of the wreck, people from the school and local community gathered at Northeast Georgia Medical Center in Gainesville where Carswell is being treated. Stribling was moved by the outpouring of community support.
“Faculty, staff, administrators, coaches, students, and parents of our Habersham Central community are excellent at rallying around each other in trying times and giving each other hope,” Stribling says. “Habersham Central High School will support Hadden and his family throughout this ordeal.
Carswell’s family started a Facebook page to keep the community updated on his progress.
Cochran’s home church – Crossroads Baptist in Toccoa – shared the sad news of his death on its Facebook page Tuesday morning.
In a heartfelt message to Cochran’s family, Bishop James Knox wrote: “Our hearts are heavy due to the passing of your dear husband, and our dear brother Deacon Hayward Cochran.” The message goes on to read, ” We extended our deepest sympathies to you and the entire family as we pray for God’s peace…”
The church included a request to its members and the community to “Pray for the family!”
The Georgia State Patrol is still investigating the crash and says charges are pending.
