Marietta high school soccer team comforts families of two players killed in car crash

MARIETTA, Ga. - A metro Atlanta soccer team came together Saturday to remember two of their players killed in a car crash Tuesday night and show support for their families.

Members of the NASA soccer team gathered in Marietta to remember 17-year-old Gabriel Escandon and 18-year-old Esteban Cortez-Rendon.

"It's hard to see them go so early in their lives. What I can take from them is how well they knew each other, how much love there were in between them … They were like brothers," Oscar Delrisco, the teens' soccer coach, said.

The two were passengers in a car that crashed into a tree in the median along Towne Lake Parkway in Cherokee County Tuesday. Three other teens were injured, one with serious injuries. The Sheriff's Office says speed appears to be a factor in the crash. Tuesday was Cortez-Rendon's 18th birthday.

"… My nephew – even though [he] was really young – left a big impact, and his life influenced a lot of people and the people that was around him," Julian Rendon, Cortez-Rendon's Uncle, said.

The team wrapped their arms around the grieving families and remembered the pair's dedication to the sport. Delrisco said Escandon joined the team last summer.

"He was a really talented guy, positive as well, pushing his teammates to do their best," Delrisco said.

Cortez-Rendon's family said they'll remember him for his commitment to his faith. They were moved by Saturday's show of support.

"It gives me a little comfort," Claudia Rendon, Cortez-Rendon's mother, said.

"He just went ahead of us, and I think he's now in a better place waiting for us. We'll meet again someday," Julian Rendon added.