NEENAH, Wis. (NBC 26) — When tragedy struck, one community came together.
"Today we're just believing for a miracle," Jackie Conkle said. "We're mourning the loss of Anthony because he didn't have the best outcome. But Peyton is still in there fighting for her life and all these people are here."
On Monday, 17-year-old Anthony Douglas of Combined Locks died in a motorcycle crash. His passenger, 17-year-old Peyton Schorer remains in critical condition with brain and spinal injuries. Both are Kimberly High School seniors.
But on Wednesday, dozens of friends and family members gathered for a vigil in Neenah outside of ThedaCare. According to Schorer's father, the family has received prayers from over 30 states.
"From all over, names that we don't even recognize and people just stepping up to help the family," Conkle, a close family friend of the Schorers, said.
A GoFundMe account for Douglas' funeralhas raised over $30,000 in a day. In just 10 hours, a fundraiser for Schorer's medical bills has brought in over $20,000.
"These kids are struggling too," Conkle said. "They just lost a really good friend. And they're struggling with trying to figure why their other friend is laying in a hospital bed on life support."
Nicholas Kobal is one of them.
"I just felt my heart sink and it was the most disappointing news I could've ever heard," the Kimberly High School student said.
Kobal was friends with Douglas, and didn't go to school after hearing about the crash.
"When it's someone that you really know well and it's a good guy — someone that is one of a kind — it really hurts," Kobal said.
Amid devastation, many around the world remain hopeful for Schorer and will always remember Douglas.
"I feel like we can really all come together at this time and bond as one and really change," Kobal said.
