17-year-old killed in NC highway bike crash remembered as ‘a wonderful student leader’
Bobby Gatto was a “devoted” high school student with a dream of going to college for aerospace engineering.
But the 17-year-old was riding his bicycle when he was killed in an Eastern North Carolina crash, news outlets reported on Monday, Dec. 12.
The teen is remembered in an online obituary as a “big goof ball always trying to brighten up everyone’s day.” He liked to spend time gaming, scuba diving and playing guitar, according to the post on the Dignity Memorial website.
The 17-year-old also made his mark at West Craven High School in Vanceboro, roughly 110 miles southeast of Raleigh.
“He was always coming to me and other staff members about different ideas and initiatives that he would love to start,” Montrell Lee, the principal at the school, told WITN. “A wonderful student leader.”
In a Facebook post, West Craven remembered Gatto as a “devoted, committed, and involved senior.” Though the teen planned to go to college, officials said he expected the connections he made in high school to be long-lasting.
But on Dec. 11, Gatto was riding his bike when an SUV hit him, troopers said. No charges are expected in the deadly crash, which happened near N.C. Highway 43 and Spring Garden Road in Craven County, the N.C. Highway Patrol told WITN and WCTI.
The day after Gatto’s death, West Craven said “extra support” would be offered to students. The school, home to the Eagles mascot, also posted photos of dozens of people wearing black and gray to honor the teen.
“We know Bobby was smiling down on Eagle Nation wearing 2 of his favorite colors,” officials wrote on Facebook.
A state trooper wasn’t immediately available to share additional information with McClatchy News on Dec. 14.
This story was originally published December 14, 2022 at 12:03 PM with the headline "17-year-old killed in NC highway bike crash remembered as ‘a wonderful student leader’."
