Community mourns 18-year-old football player killed in Lunenburg car crash
AJ Robbins died early Saturday morning.
If Austin “A.J.” Robbins didn’t look so much like his father, his mother, Carol, would’ve sworn she brought the wrong kid home from the hospital. Although she had a tendency to get stressed out, 18-year-old A.J. was always in a good mood, often reminding his mother to “chill.”
“He was never mad about anything for long,” Carol Robbins said. “Now we’re left with the tragic loss of a beautiful person, and I don’t understand how this could happen.”
A.J., a well-known football player and recent high school graduate, was killed in a car crash early Saturday morning in Lunenburg. He was traveling with his friends Joseph Kapp and Sean McNiff, both 19. Their car veered off the road and hit a tree while they were traveling down a steep hill. Robbins said her son died instantly from a chest injury and wasn’t wearing a seat belt.
McNiff was taken to the hospital for minor injuries to his elbow. Kapp, who was driving and uninjured in the crash, is due to be arraigned in Fitchburg District Court Monday on charges of vehicular homicide and operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol.
Mourners gathered at the crash site Sunday afternoon, where they left flowers, star-shaped blue and white balloons, as well as a football, jersey, trophy, and helmet, according to The Boston Globe. Robbins was a linebacker during his senior year and played defense throughout his career.
A.J. Robbins
Carol said she was overwhelmed by the number of people who came to a vigil Sunday night on the town’s football field. Nearly every person who spoke about Robbins talked about how he could brighten up anyone’s day and was everyone’s friend, according to The Sentinel & Enterprise.
“He had just this energy and this big smile,” classmate Breje Williams told the newspaper. “He would have loved to see all your beautiful faces here tonight. He shined as bright as these candles.”
A GoFundMe account set up for A.J.’s family had raised more than $16,000 by Monday afternoon, the day of his funeral. His friends also took to social media to pay tribute to A.J.’s life, posting photos that showed him dancing and laughing with friends.
“He loved his family, but his happy place was with his friends,” Carol said.
https://twitter.com/Alec_McNamara/status/769570163410759680
Gonna miss your great dance moves buddy 💙 pic.twitter.com/l2LkB7jV5q
— Mαkαyℓα (@McNamaraMakayla) August 27, 2016
Even tho I’ll never get to hear you crack another joke I know your making those Angels cry laughing love you AJ❤️ pic.twitter.com/r2ATOHJMKn
— RJ (@Ryan_J79) August 27, 2016
https://twitter.com/Nick1Sav/status/769559285122551809
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