Centennial – Glimpses of Joshua Bankett-Land’s short life flashed on two wall-mounted screens Friday during a celebration of life service for him at Eastern Hills Community Church.
The gregarious 17-year-old Smoky Hill High School senior was one of two teenagers who died Dec. 27 after the 2002 Kia in which they were riding collided with two other vehicles. The other victim was Ian Wallace, 17.
The driver of the Kia, 16-year-old Michael Stillwagon, and a third passenger, 17-year-old Alton Coward, survived the crash.
“He was always smiling and I had never seen him mad,” said LePries Brooks, 16, who now attends Gateway High School in Aurora but recalled how Joshua had been the first to welcome him to Smoky Hill after he had enrolled.
Lying in a gold flower-adorned coffin, Joshua, who was a few months shy of graduation, wore a green graduation cap and gown as friends, students and teachers slowly walked past and wept before services started.
An estimated 900 mourners filled four overflow rooms at the church as video images of Joshua para-sailing, scaling a climbing wall and singing – and photos of moments shared with family and friends – were shown and synchronized to songs, including “I Believe I Can Fly” by artist R. Kelly and “I’ll be Missing You” sung by Faith Evans and 112.
Joshua’s parents, Del and Velma Bankett, had to be helped by others to their seats, and their cries for their son caused many mourners to weep.
“You did a great job,” said pastor Sean Matthews to the grieving parents. “You raised an amazing boy.”
Bible Scriptures were read, gospel songs were sung and tributes were made to Joshua from his family, his siblings and friends who recalled a young man who loved to draw cartoons, and enjoyed playing football and basketball, going to the movies and dancing.
“I didn’t know Joshua was this loved,” his mother, Velma, said during the service.
“This is Joshua’s day.”
Staff writer Annette Espinoza can be reached at 303-820-1655 or aespinoza@denverpost.com.
