Family, friends and members of the First Flight community gathered in Roanoke Rapids on Saturday for the funeral of senior Dylan Turner, the 18-year-old who drowned in Lake Gaston on May 29.

“It was a very sad but beautiful funeral,” Principal Arty Tillett said. “The minister did a really good job of both memorializing Dylan and trying to make some sense of it for the family, you know, this huge loss, and at the same time celebrate his life. He was an amazing person, and had lived an incredible life, albeit short.”

Tillett, school counselor Susan Lee and a number of students attended the funeral. Turner grew up in Roanoke Rapids before attending First Flight as a sophomore. He returned home for his junior year before coming back to FFHS for his senior year.

Despite only being a Nighthawk for two years, news of his death shocked his fellow classmates. The school held a moment of silence in his memory on Tuesday, and Lee visited all of his classes to speak to his classmates personally. This included Crissie Weeks’ first-period English class.

“He just got along well with everyone,” Weeks said. “He was well liked. He was quiet in class. He would answer when you called on him, but he certainly – he wasn’t one to raise his hand and try to be the center of attention. That wasn’t his style. He was content to just sit back and laugh at everyone. He did that a lot.”

Weeks made sure her students had the opportunity to sign Turner’s yearbook. Upon hearing of Turner’s death, Walsworth – publisher of First Flight’s yearbook – overnighted a personalized nameplate which now adorns the book’s front cover. Filled with personal goodbyes from many of his friends and classmates, the book will be given to Turner’s family.

“It’s been hard for the students at this particular time to really talk about him. But everything that people have said to me, and have said in their writing, is he’s just a nice person,” Weeks said. “He was always smiling, whether he was in this classroom or at Food Lion. He was always smiling, always pleasant. I don’t think he had an enemy in high school, which is pretty impressive.”

One student who was particularly close to Turner is senior Michael Bennett. First a fellow employee with him at the Food Lion in Kill Devil Hills, Bennett became one of Turner’s close friends after having English class with him during this school year.

“I’m really going to miss him at work,” Bennett said. “We were always together at work on break, and it’s just so weird to work with a guy you consider your brother one day and the next day he’s gone. When I first heard, I couldn’t believe it. I thought it was a sick joke. It’s still kinda hard for me to grasp my bro is gone. I just wanna go to work and see him, you know?”

For many, Turner’s death while swimming at a lake with friends does not seem like reality. He was just two weeks shy of his high school graduation, with plans to join the Coast Guard.

“This was so sudden. It completely caught me off guard,” sophomore Joey McNamara said. “I didn’t hear until someone messaged me about it, and I was shocked. I spoke to him before he left last week. It doesn’t feel real. Today I keep looking around thinking he’s going to turn a corner and act like nothing ever happened.”

Tillett said that Turner’s name will be called at graduation, and an empty seat will be left in his place. It is not yet known if a family member will receive the diploma during Friday night’s ceremony in his place. Valedictorian Ian Kenny will open his speech with a moment of silence for both Turner and Danielle James, the science teacher who passed this February.

Through the hardships of this year, Lee still holds on to shreds of optimism.

“One thing that brings me comfort is that he’s with Mrs. James, who was his Biology teacher in 10th grade,” Lee said. “It’s just been a tough year.”  

During Turner’s funeral procession, his mother drove his most prized possession – his Mustang – to the cemetery: “He loved his car, and his mom said she wouldn’t part with it,” Lee said.

Many students have memories of Turner and his car. Junior Mikayla Peterson, a Chevy fan, remembered the conversations she and Turner would have about whether Mustangs or Chevys were better.  

“Whenever he saw me on the road, he would make it a point to speed by me then slow down, then speed by me just to be obnoxious,” Peterson said. “I’d roll my eyes and we’d laugh about it. I didn’t know him well, but he always seemed to be having fun.”

Junior Jacob Poli remembered playing basketball in their neighborhood – “in the nicest of days to the pouring down rain” – before their friendship revved into high gear.

“Then we both began to drive and that was when we really went crazy,” Poli said. “McDonald’s and Wendy’s runs at 11 to 12 at night. We would also love to drive our cars up and down the beach, blaring rap music and Snapchatting the whole thing, not a care in the world. He was a really good friend and I still can’t believe that he is gone.”

Junior Conrad Cowan remembered a fun after-prom experience with Turner at the YMCA and bowling alley: “It was so much fun that we stayed until closing,” he said. “I will miss Dylan and I will not forget about him.”

Cars, music, basketball, prom – everything every soon-to-be graduate does. And that’s what makes Turner’s death all the more difficult to accept.

“He was doing all these things that seniors are supposed to be doing at this important time in his life, you know?” Weeks said. “He had plans for the future. So, it’s hard to try to wrap your head around the fact. I kept looking the other day in the cafeteria where he sits, and I just expected him to be there. It really hasn’t set in.”

Junior Mary Pat Thompson can be reached at thompsonma1001@daretolearn.org.

Written condolences to the family may be sent to:

Stacy King

PO Box 429

Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948

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