Centermoreland teen dies

Times-Shamrock Writer

A teenager from Centermoreland died in a one-car crash in Edwardsville on Tuesday afternoon, Dec. 23.

Ian Pope, 17, an 11th-grade, high-honors student at Holy Redeemer High School in Wilkes-Barre, was pronounced dead at Wilkes-Barre General Hospital around 1:16 p.m., according to Luzerne County Coroner John Corcoran.

Around 12:30 p.m., a Ford sport utility vehicle, in which Pope was a passenger, went off the road and crashed into a utility pole along Northampton Street, Edwardsville.

The crash occurred near Wilkes University's Ralston Field parking lot.

Holy Redeemer students Gary Verazin and Chris Sabol were also in the vehicle. Police did not disclose the severity of their injuries.

Pope was a member of the school's varsity soccer team.

Tunkhannock Area High School student Ray Yagloski Jr., whose dad coached Pope for a few years in youth soccer, said the teen was a friendly person and good athlete who had scored a couple of goals on Tunkhannock this fall.

Matt Stephenson, another junior at Tunkhannock, said it would be impossible to find anyone to say something bad about Pope, his childhood friend.

The two were born a week apart, grew up together in Harding, vacationed together and remained friends ever since. Both families eventually moved to Centermoreland in Wyoming County, though the teens went to different high schools.

"My mom always said he was like my twin," Stephenson said. "He was nice to everybody. I think everybody is better for knowing that kid."

An autopsy determined Pope died from multiple traumatic injuries, Corcoran said.

The manner of death is pending an investigation, he said.

Corcoran said he mourns for the family.

"It brings everybody back to reality of how precious life is. We often take things for granted. This poor child's death is an eye opener," he said.

At Saturday's funeral at St. Nicholas Church, friends, family and Holy Redeemer faculty crowded inside to mourn and remember Pope, an honor student, avid soccer player, altar server and novice fisherman.

"There were so many characteristics that made Ian special," said Monsignor Joseph Rauscher, pastor of St. Nicholas. "His smile, his gentleness, his courage, his goodness to others and his desire to make this world a better place because he was in it."

More than 2,500 people attended Pope's viewing on Friday night, a testament to the respect he earned during his life, Rauscher said.

Pope is survived by his parents, James and Marie, and sister, Alyssa, all of Centermoreland.

During the traditional Catholic offering of gifts of bread and wine, Pope's family brought other symbolic gifts to the altar: a soccer ball, a fishing pole and a copy of the Bishop's Youth Award, an honor of which Pope was most proud.

"He lived a life of faith," Rauscher said quietly. "Let us continue to pass that on."

Robert Baker also contributed to this story.