St. Croix Teen Who Survived Accident In L.A. That Left Zion James Dead Greeted By Family And Friends In Emotional Homecoming

Late Friday night, an unusual amount of vehicles lined the road on the outside of the Henry E. Rohlsen Airport (H.E.R.A.), usually a sign that either multiple airlines with a lot of locals on board were to arrive, and residents were avoiding airport parking fees.

But there was only one plane scheduled to arrive at 9:30 p.m., American Airlines, and there was not an overabundance of locals on the flight.

Instead, dozens of people stood outside the arrivals area after the American Airlines flight had landed, their eyes fixated to the entrance on the lookout for one person, Yirakmeal “Rako” Henry.

The last one to leave the plane, Mr. Henry, 18, with the help of his father, arrived on a wheelchair to loud sounds of hand clap and cheers from family and friends, who came bearing balloons and smiles.

Yet the young man, who only two weeks ago lost his best friend, Zion James during a vehicular accident in Cloverdale, California on Tuesday, August 1, wore hurt on his face, unable to give any reaction to the throng of people who came to embrace him. His mother told The Consortium that her son’s emotional pain was worse than his physical. “Because here he is coming back home to go to a funeral tomorrow,” Ms. Johnson managed as tears overwhelmed her. She was referring to the deceased James, whose burial is today. “They did everything together,” she lamented.

The trip to California was supposed to be a two-week vacation for the young men, who had big plans for their lives and community. They both were to start college this semester.

Ms. Johnson expressed gratitude to the community, whose love and support she said has been encouraging, and asked that her family as well as Mr. James’s be held up on prayer.

Contrary to the initial report from a California news outlet, Mr. Henry’s injuries were not minor. According to his mother, Lovine Johnson, Mr. Henry suffered a broken right leg, a fractured cheekbone, nose, and injuries to his head.

A report from Press Democrat, a newspaper in Santa Rosa since 1857, which cited CHP, California’s traffic incident website, said the accident, a rollover crash, occurred on Highway 101 north of Cloverdale. Along with Mr. Henry, two women from Ukiah, California ages 24 and 18, suffered injuries.

The crash, which occurred at about 6:00 p.m. according to Press Democrat, involved a 2001 Mitsubishi Montero traveling north, just beyond Geysers Road. The vehicle was being driven by 24-year old Shakela Hill of Ukiah, who lost control of the car for “an unknown reason,” the CHP said. Mr. James and Mr. Henry were ejected from the vehicle; the CHP said they were apparently not wearing seatbelts at the time of the crash.

Mr. James was pronounced dead at the scene. Ms. Hill, Mr. Henry and the other passenger, 18-year-old Lynesia Richards of Ukiah, were transported to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital with major injuries. Ms. Hill was in critical condition as of Thursday, August 3, according to a hospital spokeswoman.

The cause of the crash remains under investigation, according to CHP Officer Chad Ramsey.