A candlelight service was held Saturday night at the Evarts High School football field in honor of Dustin Mefford, the Evarts teenager who was killed last week in an ATV crash on KY 215.

Mefford was a standout athlete at Evarts, starring at running back for the football team last year in his senior season.

“He was a terrific son, and there was nothing he wouldn't do for anybody,” Mefford's father, Randy, said before the candlelight ceremony. “If you were sad he could make you laugh even if you were crying. My wife was breaking down, and I told her if he could make us laugh about this he would. He's got a lot of people who love him, and he loved a lot of people in return. He wasn't selfish at all.”

According to police, Mefford was traveling Aug. 2 on KY 215 at Black Mountain on a red Honda 450R Sportsray behind a blue Yamaha 660R Raptor operated by Michael Goodie, 22, of Evarts. Jamie Bryant, 27, of Kenvir, was operating a 1999 Chevrolet van.

Kentucky State Police trooper Edward Abner said the red four-wheeler lost control and made contact with the blue four-wheeler. Mefford was ejected from his four-wheeler and made contact with an oncoming van.

“I want to say it was an accident, because from what I heard some girls were trying to flag him down because there was a wreck on above where he wrecked,” Randy Mefford said. “Dustin was on a wheelie, and when he come in contact with the other bike he landed on top of that boy's back wheel. He put his foot down to try and catch it, and he stepped out in front of that van from what I've heard. I was one of the first on the scene... and I broke down.”

During the service, a football and basketball were presented to Mefford's parents.

“I'm going to take the football and the things they've given to us and build a case to put it in. I'm going to make a case big enough to put all his trophies in - he has so many trophies. I'm going to fix a room just for him, and he's got enough trophies to fill it,” Randy Mefford said.

Mefford, who graduated in May, rushed for 1,466 yards and 16 touchdowns in his final football season, earning all-county and all-conference honors while leading the Wildcats to a playoff berth. On the basketball court, he scored 506 career points and averaged 13.3 points per game as a senior.

Marcus Williams worked close to Mefford last year during football season as one of the assistant coaches.

“It was an honor and privilege to coach him,” Williams said. “You never heard him complain. You never heard the words ‘I can't.' He was an extreme team leader.”

Williams, who is a Kentucky State Police trooper said Mefford had a nickname for him.

“He named me coach Tuesday and Wednesday. Because of the way I work, I would be late for Monday's practice, and I wouldn't make it for Thursday's.

“So, one day when I came in, he was smiling at me. I asked him why he was smiling, and he said he didn't want to make me mad at him. I told him I could never get mad at him. He said, ‘we're just glad that coach Tuesday and coach Wednesday could show up.”

A large crowd attended the service, including several of Mefford's former teammates.

“He had a lot of heart, and he was a great friend - someone you could trust,” said senior Jimmy Pike.

“Just being around Dustin made you happy because he always wanted to cheer you up,” said junior Travis Helton. “He was my friend, and I'm going to miss him a lot.”