Aurora – Before an overflow crowd at an Aurora church Tuesday evening, Smoky Hill High principal Jeannine Brown wanted to share a story about a light that had danced through the halls of her school.
It was a light that danced, skateboarded and twinkled in the eyes and smile of 17-year-old Ian Wallace, who, along with fellow senior Joshua Bankett-Land, died the day after a car wreck last week.
When Brown learned about the accident, she cried over the thought of the light being snuffed forever. Later, she saw the outpouring of love from her students over their fallen classmates and realized she was wrong. Students have filled blogs with their emotions, have written poems and have held vigils.
“That light was not gone at all,” she told the standing-room-only crowd of an estimated 2,000 people at Living Hope Baptist Church. “In fact, it was shining brightly in all who knew him.”
That was evident in the nearly three- hour service, which featured a video on a large screen showing Wallace skateboarding and playing sports and his silhouette dancing wildly into a sunset. It ended with a message: “Live life. Love life.”
“He could make hip-hop dancing look like ballet,” said his mother, Leslie Sue Parker-Wallace, wearing a peace sign on a pendant around her neck to symbolize the goodbye her son always shouted at farewells: “Peace.”
Police say they are still investigating the Dec. 27 crash, which occurred on South Parker Road near East Temple Drive, and haven’t decided on charges against the 16-year-old driver, Michael Stillwagon. Both Wallace and Bankett-Land were in the back seat and not wearing seat belts when the 2002 Kia swerved into oncoming traffic. Bankett-Land’s funeral will be Friday.
Parker-Wallace said her son’s wish would be for all of the love being poured out over the deaths of the two to be directed toward Stillwagon and the other survivor, Alton Coward.
She said she and Wallace’s father, James J. Wallace Jr., spoke for hours with Stillwagon after he was released from the hospital, trying to assuage his guilt.
“We just think it would be good for him to heal,” she said.
“Guilt will spoil the joy of life,” said James J. Wallace Jr.
Coward also spoke to the audience, saying that Wallace was his best friend and sharing stories of his kindness.
At the service, large photographs of the dreadlocked Wallace surrounded bouquets of flowers near Wallace’s open casket.
Students had written poems, and created stenciled portraits of Wallace and a rendering of a skateboard that he loved to ride. They cried and prayed at the service that featured music, memories and Scripture.
One of Wallace’s friends, Byron Cephers, showed his arm that bore a tattoo of Wallace’s name.
“Ian’s name will always be engraved in our hearts,” he said. “Ian’s name will always be engraved in my skin. Forever. I love him.”
Joshua Bankett-Land’s service will be at 1 p.m. Friday at Eastern Hills Community Church in Aurora, 19697 E. Smoky Hill Road. There will be a viewing from 4 to 9 p.m. Thursday at Taylor Funeral and Cremation Services, 15057 E. Colfax Ave.
Staff writer Jeremy Meyer can be reached at 303-820-1175 or jpmeyer@denverpost.com.
