PORT ANGELES — Dozens of balloons and red roses decorated the Port Angeles Skate Park fence Sunday as scores of young people gathered in grief for Frank Russo.
The 14-year-old Stevens Middle School student died Saturday of head injuries he suffered at the skate park Friday night.
Russo’s peers seemed unanimous Sunday in calling for a law to require skateboarders to wear helmets at the park at Race and Second streets.
According to his friends, Russo almost always wore a helmet — a purple one — when he skated but inexplicably did not wear it Friday.
“He even wore it almost everywhere else,” said Martin Hodgson, 13.
“He always had his purple helmet,” said Tawny Bagby. “He never would come to the skate park without a helmet.
“That (Friday) was the one time.”
A group of teens who included Bagby said they will attend tonight’s meeting of the Port Angeles City Council to request a helmet law and suggest that the park be renamed for Russo.
Other members of the group are Brianna Perez, Nathan Hofer, Chelsea Andrews, Bobbi Hopie, Cole Groff, Kari Kenyon and Kayla Beretzowsky.
“We’re giving people high five’s if they’re wearing a helmet,” said Bagby.
“One (death) is enough. One is way too much.”
