(Rochester, N.Y.) -- Several balloons were released Sunday night over PAETEC Park before the Eddie Meath All-Star Game to honor six high school atheletes who died recently in car accidents.
Eastridge High football player Henry Rivera died in a car accident in May. On Tuesday, five young women from Fairport--all cheerleaders at some time--died in another accident.
The cheerleaders said the tragic events have helped bring them closer.
Meagan Jewell, of Fairport said, "You hold a special bond being a cheerleader, you're all family no matter what. You compete against each other, but you still hold that special bond."
Alexa Fischer of West Irondequoit said, “That kind of shows how close cheerleaders get and it's really like a family, these girls are like my sisters."
Danielle Carafos of Greece Athena High School said, "You sit there and you realize that life is so precious and you have to live life to the fullest because you don't know when it's going to be your last."
The game features the Rochester area's best high school senior cheerleaders and football players.
Meredith McClure--one of the Fairport cheerleaders who died Tuesday--had qualified to participate in the event.
