MORENO VALLEY -- Counselors are expected to be on hand Tuesday as students return to school for the first time since an assistant coach and his family were killed in a multi-vehicle crash.
About 500 mourners held a candlelight vigil at the school Monday night in honor of Ryan Villalpando.
Many described the 32-year-old assistant football coach as incredibly positive.
"...he had the biggest heart. To me he was indestructible," one student said while crying.
Villalpando, known as "Coach V," was also a PE teacher at the school.
Among the mourners were Villalpando's father and sister who said Ryan was "an inspiration."
On Saturday, Villalpando was killed in a crash on the 15 Freeway along with his 29-year-old wife Veronica, their 4-year-old son Mateo and infant Bella Rose.
The collision, which happened around 12:35 p.m. Saturday in Ontario, involved three big rigs, a U-Haul truck, and two passenger vehicles, south of Jurupa Avenue, according to CHP officer Jeff Briggs.
Villalpando's car was sandwiched between two tractor-trailers and was completely engulfed in flames when firefighters arrived on scene.
Three other people who suffered injuries in the crash were taken to a hospital for treatment, according to an Ontario fire official. Their injuries were described only as "non life-threatening."
The Villalpando family was killed at the end of a long chain-reaction of crashes, Briggs said.
Witnesses on a side street parallel to the freeway reported seeing the two big rigs involved. One big rig's cab appeared completely burned.
The southbound side of the 15 freeway was closed for several hours while the CHP investigated the accident scene.
The cause of the crash was under investigation.
About 500 mourners held a candlelight vigil at the school Monday night in honor of Ryan Villalpando.
Many described the 32-year-old assistant football coach as incredibly positive.
"...he had the biggest heart. To me he was indestructible," one student said while crying.
Villalpando, known as "Coach V," was also a PE teacher at the school.
Among the mourners were Villalpando's father and sister who said Ryan was "an inspiration."
On Saturday, Villalpando was killed in a crash on the 15 Freeway along with his 29-year-old wife Veronica, their 4-year-old son Mateo and infant Bella Rose.
The collision, which happened around 12:35 p.m. Saturday in Ontario, involved three big rigs, a U-Haul truck, and two passenger vehicles, south of Jurupa Avenue, according to CHP officer Jeff Briggs.
Villalpando's car was sandwiched between two tractor-trailers and was completely engulfed in flames when firefighters arrived on scene.
Three other people who suffered injuries in the crash were taken to a hospital for treatment, according to an Ontario fire official. Their injuries were described only as "non life-threatening."
The Villalpando family was killed at the end of a long chain-reaction of crashes, Briggs said.
Witnesses on a side street parallel to the freeway reported seeing the two big rigs involved. One big rig's cab appeared completely burned.
The southbound side of the 15 freeway was closed for several hours while the CHP investigated the accident scene.
The cause of the crash was under investigation.
