LUBBOCK, Texas (KCBD) – Community members gathered Sunday night for a prayer walk, after two separate tragedies struck Shallowater on the same day Friday.<\/p>\n
A Shallowater middle schooler died that day. Hours later, Mustang boys basketball coach Jay Lusk, along with his wife and son were injured in a head-on crash while returning home from San Antonio. The Lusk family was taken to a hospital in San Angelo and is expected to make a full recovery. The crash occurred the day before Lusk\u2019s players competed in the regional championship.<\/p>\n
Community members gathered at the school for the prayer walk Sunday night, which drew participants from Shallowater and surrounding areas. Ripley Youngblood, student pastor at The Message in Lubbock, was asked to speak.<\/p>\n
\u201cJesus doesn\u2019t promise that we won\u2019t go through difficult seasons, he promises to be with us in the midst of this,\u201d Youngblood said. \u201cThe pain of loss is not something that is unfamiliar to Jesus, he knows you, he knows your heart and he knows your pain.\u201d<\/p>\n
The group walked from campus to campus, praying over students and staff ahead of their return to school.<\/p>\n
\u201cOne, it\u2019s to show them that Jesus is king and Jesus is better and that we have something to hold on to in the dark times, and that\u2019s Jesus. And that he\u2019s better and Lord overall. But it shows us that we can gather together and mourn together and that we\u2019re not alone,\u201d Youngblood said.<\/p>\n
Shallowater administrators said they have arranged counseling support in addition to the district\u2019s own staff, coordinating with partners including Region 17 and Frenship ISD to provide additional resources.<\/p>\n
Neighboring school districts posted on social media that they plan to wear blue Wednesday in support of the middle schooler who died.<\/p>\n