A memorial was set up as news of the popular student-athlete's death spread.
"It's crazy," Juan Escobar said Saturday as he looked over the memorial of flowers, balloons and sporting equipment. "I talked with him two days ago."
The Belvidere High School community is mourning the death of Connor Barbaro, a two-sport junior. (Jim Middlekauff | lehighvalleylive.com contributor)Those who knew Connor Barbaro -- and there were many, according to his friends -- were stunned to learn of the popular Belvidere High School junior's death this weekend.
Several visited a memorial set up at the intersection of Route 46 and Titman Road, just east of where 46 meets Route 519 in White Township, where Barbaro was driving an ATV in a crash with a vehicle about 7:30 Friday evening.
He suffered severe head injuries and was flown to St. Luke's Hospital in Fountain Hill where he was pronounced dead at 9:36 p.m., according to the Lehigh County coroner. The death was ruled an accident.
The high school was quiet early Saturday afternoon, though Superintendent Christopher Carrubba said counselors would be back there starting at 10 a.m. Sunday and again on Monday.
Meanwhile, at the memorial about three miles away, peers and parents steadily stopped by to pay respects.
"I didn't know there was anything out here," said Dan Calabrese, a 22-year-old Belvidere graduate attending Centenary College in Hackettstown, who stopped at the memorial Saturday afternoon. "But it's good. A lot of people are checking this out."
Red balloons floated over a small stack of flowers, some with messages inscribed on the packaging. A red towel for the Belvidere County Seaters was under the flowers. A white driving helmet was covered with personalized notes, many addressed to "Babs."
Calabrese said he only knew Barbaro though groups of friends in the close community, but knew "he was an all-around good kid."
"Everyone knew Connor," said Jordan Biasco as she visited the memorial with fellow Belvidere seniors Escobar and Katie Spadaccini. Spadaccini described Barbaro as "the life of the party."
Scholarship honors late Warren Hills QB
"You knew you were going to have fun if you were with Connor," she said.
Escobar played on the soccer team with Barbaro, who also played varsity basketball.
Escobar came to the site wearing a T-shirt honoring Evan Murray, the Warren Hills Regional High School quarterback who died following a football game in September. He said Murray and Barbaro shared the same number: 18.
"He was a great kid," Escobar said of Barbaro. "He was loved by many."
Steve Novak may be reached at snovak@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @type2supernovak. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.