La Habra Teen Killed In Freak Roadway Accident Remembered At School Vigil

LA HABRA (CBSLA.com) —   A vigil was held Friday for the La Habra teen who died Thursday  five days after being struck by freeway debris in Orange.

Ethan Hawks was traveling in the passenger seat of his mother's car last Saturday when a piece of metal shot through the windshield.

The metal, which weighed between five to ten pounds, subsequently struck the 17-year-old's neck, cutting his carotid artery. The incident happened on the southbound lanes of the 57 Freeway.

Hawks was being treated at UC Irvine Medical Center, where he died early Thanksgiving morning.

Hawks was a defensive-end at Whittier Christian High School.

KCAL9's Crystal Cruz said students and classmates held a vigil for Hawks Friday evening.

She said the head of the school didn't want to wait until Monday. He wanted everyone to gather as soon as possible to help life up Hawks' family.

Friends remembered him as a football-loving and free-spirited teen.

The family asked for privacy.

Cruz spoke to Carl Martinez, head of the school.

"For our student body," Martinez said, "this is obviously, as young people when they face a tragedy like this, this is something that brings up a lot of questions. And that's even today one of the reasons we wanted t come together as they ask those questions, how can we, the adults of this community support them?"

Cruz reported the community has already raised $28,000 to help Hawks family.