WELLSVILLE, N.Y. (WKBW) — Two families are grieving after a car crash in Wellsville early Saturday morning claimed the lives of two teenagers.
Derrick Smith, 17, and Gavin Odell, 18, both of Canisteo, were killed in the single-car crash. New York State police said there's no indication that alcohol or drugs were involved in the accident.
"It feels...there's more space in our home right now because he's missing. He's not there to fill that. So it's very hard," said Yvonne Thomas, Derrick's aunt.
The crash happened on a rainy, foggy night on a back road with many curves. Thomas said the teenagers were joyriding.
"We don't really know why they were there," Thomas said.
Thomas shared fond memories of her nephew.
"He was always happy, and he was always smiling, and he was always friendly with everybody," Thomas said.
"He loved fishing, he loved camping," she added.
WATCH: Families in mourning after two teens were killed in a crash in Wellsville
Despite a difficult start to life, Smith was working toward a better future. He had been in the custody of his grandfather, Eric Thomas, since birth and struggled academically, dropping out of high school. However, he was working on getting his GED.
"He had some troubles, but like anybody else, he took that and he got through that and was working on a positive point of his life going forward," Thomas said.
Eric Thomas, Smith's grandfather, is devastated by the loss. He said his family has visited the accident site and plans to place a memorial there.
He said he wants to spread Smith's ashes at all the places his grandson had planned to visit.
"Well, I'm gonna start out by taking a spoonful of his ashes, as close as I can get to Indianapolis Speedway, and I'm gonna scatter him there," Eric Thomas said.
Gavin Odell's family didn't want to appear on camera for an interview, but they shared family photos and a statement about the young man.
They said he'll be remembered for his kind heart, sense of humor and the light he brought into the lives of everyone who knew him. He was known for his warm hugs, dab-ups and his love for the Bills and his grandma's cooking.
Both families have set up GoFundMe pages to help cover funeral costs.
Here is a link to the fundraiser for Derrick's family, and here's the link to the fundraiser for Gavin's family.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
