‘Absolutely heartbreaking:’ Hundreds gather for Evan Murray’s wake; funeral is Thursday

Hundreds of mourners arrived streamed into Faith Discovery Church in Warren Wednesday to pay their respects to Evan Murray, a high school quarterback who died following a football game last Friday.

Friends, family and community members arrived at the church with heavy hearts, many looking sullen, eyes fixed ahead, as if they didn’t really believe that one of their own schoolmates had died so young and so suddenly. The entire community seemed to still be in shock.

Kayla Moyer of Washington Township expressed her sympathy for Murray's friends and family.

“It’s really sad, I mean it’s a shame, especially for his parents and all his friends and his girlfriend- losing a loved one at such a young age, it’s really a heartfelt story," Moyer said. "I’d be devastated if that was my child, and doing something you loved, playing football for the school that you loved, it’s heartbreaking.”

Elise, a Belvedere resident, said people still appear to be shocked, even as the wake takes place.

“No one knows what to do, it’s shocking," she said.

A man standing nearby called the situation "really tragic. "You never know, that’s why you’ve got to live your life to the fullest and do the best you can."

Another resident spoke about Murray and how well-liked he was.

"He was a great student, he was a phenomenal student, and well liked,” the resident said. “It’s just a shame to lose somebody like that, somebody so young who didn’t even start their life yet."

Another resident said he had a son about the same age as Murray.

“It’s absolutely heartbreaking,” she said with tears in her eyes. “I don’t even know, I don’t know what I would do myself, I can’t imagine.”

Other local residents called the tragedy sad, disturbing and unbelievable.

“I think when you have somebody as young as Evan was pass away, it really makes everybody hug their kids tighter," she said.

Al, another person in attendance, has children who were involved in sports. He said he was always concerned that they would be injured.

“It’s a terrible story," he said. “I had kids that played football and I worried about injury when they were on the field and sometimes they (the coaches) let it go a little too far, they don’t them out of the game. How many people does this effect? How many people have to live with this heartbreak now that a young kid is gone, it’s really sad.”

The wake for Murray is scheduled to last until 9 p.m. Wednesday with a private funeral at the church Thursday at 11 a.m. Classes for the middle and high school have been canceled for Thursday.