It's a very sad start to the year at Chatham High School, after a student there died in a car wreck Wednesday night. State police say 16-year-old Vernon Randolph's SUV ran off the side of a road, and when he overcorrected, it flipped, throwing him out.

Chatham High held their open house Thursday, many of them knowing in the back of their minds, one familiar face will be missing this year.

Kelly Montgomery, Victim's Friend - "At first, you don't believe it because it's someone so young. And you just saw them and just spoke to them."

Friends say he was on his way to church. That's where Vernon Randolph sang on the praise team, where he had high hopes of going to Liberty University.

Morgan McKenzie, Victim's Friend - "He attended there, for college for a weekend, and he told me how much he loved it."

But a curvy road and a slip of the wheel changed all of that. Now, a close knit school is in mourning.

Montgomery - "We made ribbons for him today, his favorite colors."

Instead of Chatham High's black and red, here you'll find yellow and blue. They're honoring a friend who they say was someone they could count on.

McKenzie - "Like, when I found out about my mom and she had breast cancer, he was there for me, when a lot of the people that I thought would be there, wasn't."

He was also a shoulder they could cry on.

Montgomery - "He would answer and just be like, what's wrong what are you doing, let's get together, let's go somewhere."

He was a kid that just liked to joke around. He found a new love this summer when he joined the cross country team.

Trip Emerson, Coach - "He was so excited Monday about the race on Tuesday, he was talking to me about it."

Coach Trip Emerson says that race was rained out.

Emerson - "He was like, well, I guess I'll run another day, probably the saddest part for me is that he never got to complete the run..so."

He had a lot of unfinished business. That will make first day back for this group, even more of an adjustment.

Mckenzie - "It's just shocking to me because I never thought that I could lose him like this."

Vernon's sister and two cousins were also in the car. They're okay and were wearing seatbelts. We have not been able to confirm a funeral time yet, but family friends tell us it will most likely be sometime this week before school starts, so that Vernon's friends can be there.