Aja Gerrity memorial: A hard time for all

RIDGEFIELD, Wash. -- Saturday hundreds showed up to remember 17-year-old Aja (pronounced like Asia) Gerrity, one of five teenagers who took their last adventure this past Monday.

"She was just inspiring to watch her growth, and how committed she was to the sport and just an overall exceptional student," said one funeral attendee.

Weeks after graduating from high school and preparing to start college, a trip to the coast turned deadly. Police said Gerrity tried to pass another car and lost control. The car slid into the eastbound lanes of Oregon's Highway 30 before colliding with a van.

Gerrity -- along with Amanda Williams, Jason Carter and Richard Araiza -- all died. Dustin Leitzell went to the hospital with serious injuries.

"That's 3 percent of their graduating class," said a teacher at Ridgefield High School, where Gerrity and the other students just recently graduated. "You just don't overcome that as a teacher and as a community. It's just devastating."

Gerrity appeared on the MTV television show "Made" last year, a show that follows teens who are striving towards a goal. But many here said she had already achieved so many goals in life, including being a talented actor, cheerleader, debater and friend.

"This was a person that you would think would be around forever just doing good things," said a student at the funeral. 

Now people must say goodbye to not only Gerrity, but three other teens.

All their lives got cut short. Some say this happened even before their lives really ever got started.