McAllen ISD mobilizing counseling services following death of two Nikki Rowe students
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Nikki Rowe High School senior Nicholas Hartman is learning how to cope with losing his childhood best friend.
Hartman’s best friend, Nikki Rowe High School football player Adan De La Cruz, died on Wednesday after an accident at a McAllen pool party on Aug. 17.
“I've known him forever, we’ve always done everything together,” Hartman said. “Played baseball, basketball, football, whatever it was, we would always be together. I could never forget those memories that I have of him."
Hartman spoke to Channel 5 News during a Friday memorial for De La Cruz at the football field of Nikki Rowe High School. Over 1,000 people attended the memorial to show their support.
READ MORE: Nikki Rowe High School community holds memorial for Adan De La Cruz
De La Cruz was 17 years old when he left behind his family, friends, and a community in mourning.
The McAllen Independent School District told Channel 5 News when De La Cruz died, many students were already looking for someone to turn to.
In July, Nikki Rowe sophomore football player Kevin Uriel Martinez died
According to McAllen ISD counseling director Norma Cabrera, the district mobilized its crisis management team after seeing a spike in need for counseling services.
“We've had a couple of hundred students reaching out for support, but it varies throughout the week,” Cabrera said. “There’s direct support at Rowe, but then at each of our campuses, our students have also been coming forward requesting support as well.
McAllen ISD has about 80 counselors at their district. Cabrera says when the news broke of De La Cruz’s death, counselors were on standby for the spike in students seeking emotional support.
“The campus is hurting,” McAllen ISD spokesman Mark May said. “Everyone there, not only students but staff also, you have to think about them as well."
The crisis management team at McAllen ISD is made up of counselors, social workers and a family treatment program staff that gives an additional layer of support for students.
“What we've done this week is we've referred students to our family treatment program, where we have licensed professional counselors,” Cabrera said. “Other staff provides counseling, therapy or referrals to outside agencies if need be."
Guadalupe Gonzalez, the mother of Kevin Uriel Martinez, said she’s heartbroken and missing her son.
While she says it's something no mother can ever overcome, she's thankful for the district's support and resources.
Cabrera has some tips for parents at home to help their child cope with grieving over death.
“Grief is very different for everyone, and very personal for our kid,” Cabrera said. “Many kids handle grief in different ways. Some of them need space. Some of them like to talk about it. I advise that parents... listen to their kids. Watch them very carefully."
Watch the video above for the full story.
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