EATON, Colo. — Just a few weeks ago, Denver7 was in Eaton covering Eaton Days, where residents proudly told us what makes their town special. It's the kind of place where neighbors know each other, celebrate together and rally around one another.
On Monday, Denver7 returned to a very different Eaton.
At the site where a crash killed three recent Eaton High School graduates and injured two others Saturday night, community members left flowers along the roadside.
For many in Eaton, the tragedy doesn't feel distant. It feels personal.
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‘We support each other’: Eaton rallies after 3 recent graduates die in crash
Inside Can't Dance Bar, owner Shannon Mericle pointed to the memorabilia that covers nearly every wall. Jerseys and photos tell the story of a town that takes pride in its schools, athletes and families.
"This is just memorabilia from some family members that were donated to us," Mericle said. "It's all sports."
Near the register, however, sits something different. It's a handwritten message asking customers to pray for everyone affected by Saturday's crash.
"I have a message on my board for everybody that comes in to send out prayers," Mericle said.
As a mother, Mericle said this tragedy doesn't feel like something that happened to strangers.
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"Everybody knows everybody. It is a tight-knit community. We all have each other's backs. We watch out for each other," she said.
That same feeling was echoed by Eaton Mayor Scott Moser, who has owned a funeral home for nearly four decades and has helped countless families through unimaginable loss.
"I've been in this profession for nearly 40 years," Moser said. "I've witnessed all sorts of different tragic situations like this."
When Denver7's Peter Choi asked whether this one felt different, he didn't hesitate.
"It feels personal," Moser said. "There are people that we know and friends, and honestly, this has really affected almost every corner of our community."
Despite the heartbreak, Moser believes the town will find strength in one another.
"When people call themselves an Eaton Red (school mascot), they mean it, and it means something to us," he said.
Mericle said that's exactly what she's seeing.
"There's people ready to support, and there's a lot of love, you know, for everybody," she said.
Home to about 6,000 people, Eaton is a small town. But when tragedy strikes, the support is anything but small. The community continues to remind grieving families they do not have to face these losses alone.
The deceased have been identified by the Weld County Coroner's Office as Cash Allen Rinker, 20, of Eaton; Jack David Dirksen, 19, of Eaton; and 19-year-old Cooper Christopher Nider, of Greeley.
On Monday, Colorado State Patrol said they believe speed may have been a factor in the crash, though the definitive cause remains under investigation.
