Aurskog in mourning after motorcycle death: – Everyone is shaking

Young people in Aurskog Høland in Akershus have been driving to the scene of the accident all day to honor their comrade.

On Wednesday afternoon, two young boys slowly approach the small memorial. One of them bends down and looks distressed.

At the scene of the accident, lots of roses have been laid, candles are lit and there is a picture.

– This has left a strong mark. All those I have spoken to so far are very strongly affected, says parish priest Bjørn Skogstad.

According to the police, the accident happened in a curve where a light motorcycle has driven out. CPR was performed at the scene, but the life of the 16-year-old boy could not be saved.

Two accidents in a short time

The accident occurs just days after 16-year-old Charlie Strand died in a motorcycle accident in the neighboring municipality of Trøgstad.

– Then the same thing happens here. It is unreal, says Skogstad.

On Wednesday evening, people gather for open church in the village of Hemnes.

– Some are quiet, others express that they are sorry. There are all kinds of reactions to it. Its natural. It is terribly painful for those close to you and those around you. It is really bad for the youth environment and the municipality. It affects everyone, says mayor Roger Evjen (Ap) in Aurskog-Høland.

The 16-year-old attended Kjelle upper secondary school in Bjørkelangen, which has around 220 pupils.

– He was an incredibly nice guy. We are a relatively small school. When you experience such tragic things happening, it’s good to see that our young people take good care of each other, says principal Stein Pettersen about the 16-year-old.

At Bråte primary and secondary school in Hemnes, the flag is flown at half-mast on Wednesday afternoon. Young people meet outside the sports hall and clubhouse of Søndre Høland UIL.

There are always new boys and girls. They walk together in groups from the walkway towards the hall.

– This accident greatly affects the residents and young people in Aurskog-Høland. It is always tragic when an accident happens, especially with young people. These are the most difficult accidents to deal with. At the start of life. It is very difficult to understand, says Evjen.

Provost Kjartan Bergslid is head of the priests both in Trøgstad and in Aurskog-Høland.

– It was exactly the same in Trøgstad, which is also a small community where everyone is affected. We had open church there on Sunday. It was a full house, there were lots of young people gathered in the church, he says.

– How do these accidents affect the communities here?

– These are relatively small communities, where everyone knows each other and most people know each other. When something like this happens in our local communities, it shakes everyone, he says.

Procession from school

On Thursday at 10 o’clock, young people in the municipality have planned to drive in a column to the accident site from Kjelle upper secondary school.

The initiator wishes to remain anonymous, according to Indre Akershus magazine.

– We have created a public Facebook event and all students who wish to do so are welcome to join the column. We are going to stop at the scene of the accident at Løken to honor our fellow student, before we continue to Hemnes, explains the student who is the initiator of the newspaper.

– Several of us have talked together and it was natural that I took responsibility. We do it to remember our fellow student and to be together as a group in grief, says the student.

The mayor says that the municipalities will probably open the clubhouse at 12 o’clock, so that the young people can go there after the motorcade if they want.