City High graduate killed in bus crash in Canada

IOWA CITY - A 2019 Iowa City High graduate was killed in a bus crash last week in British Columbia, Canada.

City High officials said in a social media post and email to City High families that John Geerdes, a member of the boys' soccer team, was killed in a crash Friday.

'John G is leaving us too early and our hearts are broken by tragedy,” City High boys' soccer coach Jose Michel Fajardo wrote in a post on the team's Facebook page. 'Can't explain the pain and sorrow our community has for this loss and the personal devastation for all of us who will always love John.”

Citing information from the Royal Canadian Air Force, news outlets said two University of Victoria students died and three others were seriously injured when a bus rolled over between Port Alberni and Bamfield on Vancouver Island. The crash was reported around 10 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time on Friday.

University of Victoria officials said in a statement that students were on their way to the Bamfield Marine Science Center.

'Our heartfelt thoughts go out to the students' families and loved ones, to whom we offer our sincerest condolences,” University President Jamie Cassels said. 'We also grieve with those closest to these members of our campus community, including roommates, friends, classmates and professors who were in contact with them during their time on campus.”

In a letter to City High families, City High Principal John Bacon described Geerdes as 'an amazing, kind, intelligent, talented, special human being.”

'John was beloved by students and staff at City High,” Bacon said.

Bacon said City High guidance counselors would be joined this week by members of the Grant Wood Area Education Agency Crisis Response Team to provide students and staff with any assistance they need.

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