St. Albert school community rallies after former students killed in Humboldt Broncos bus crash

Students and staff from the St. Albert Catholic High School are grieving the loss of two former students who played for the Humboldt Broncos and died in a bus crash Friday.

Logan Hunter, 18, and Stephen Wack, 21, were both from St. Albert. Wack graduatedin 2015, while Hunter graduatedin last year.

• What we know about the Humboldt Broncos crash victims from Alberta

Martin Rudolf knew them both, and was close to Hunter, with whom he grew up playing sports.

The 18-year-old told CBC on Monday that being at school had been difficult.

"One of the hardest parts for me has actually been seeing the pain in other people," Rudolf said.

"First block, I walked into class and had a teacher come up to me in complete tearssaying that she was thinking of me all weekend."

Rudolf said he has received support from friends and members of the community.

• St. Albert hockey team mourns and remembers 5 former Raiders killed in Humboldt bus crash

Fellow student Cole Gupta, 18, played hockey with Hunter. The two also played golf and Xbox together.

Through the local hockey community, he also knew Wack andJaxonJoseph, 20,who also died in the crash.

"It's starting to sink in," said Gupta, who anxiously waited for news of his friends after hearing about the crash on Friday.

He said grieving together has helped staff and students cope with the losses.

"I think it's really important," he said. "Teachers, fellow students, everyone, we're a big group going through it together."

Manystaff members at the schoolhave also been affected by the tragedy.

Geoff Giacobbo is the co-ordinator of the Greater St. Albert Sports Academy, which Hunter and Joseph attended.

He also knew Conner Lukan, 20, and Wack, who played hockey in St. Albert.

Giacobbo said he felt sick when he heard about the crash.

"There are no words to make anybody feel better," he said. "When young lives are lost, it's senseless to everybody."

He remembered Hunter and Joseph as persistent and dedicated hockey players. "They loved to play, they worked extremely hard to get to the level that they got to."

School principal DanielleKaraki said Hunter and Wack were both were well-liked and kind-hearted.

"They both really had a presence at this school and contributed greatly. A lot of the staff members feel like they've just lost two children."

Karaki said counsellors were on hand to support grieving students and staff, who could also light candles in honour of the victims at the school's chapel.