The Tuesday night crash killed Nathan Kok, who was a passenger in a Mazda6 sedan that crashed into a Jeep, causing it to burst into flames.
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The Mazda6 driver was Kok's fellow classmate Tyler Hammer, 17, who sustained injuries. They were on their way back from a golf tournament in Byron, Ill.
Good Samaritans rescued Hammer and the 20-year-old driver of the Jeep, police said.
"It was pretty chaotic. The fact that these people stopped to help until emergency responders got there... Like I said, we're not talking about a city here. To see those people out there - that was an outstanding job," said Lt. Pat Gengler, of the Kane County Sheriff's Department.
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The cause of the crash was not immediately known. No citations were issued. The occupants of both vehicles were wearing seat belts.
On a somber Wednesday morning at Aurora Christian High School students began their day in the school auditorium and heard the news that one of their own was dead.
In a statement on its Facebook page, Aurora Christian described Kok as a "great student, committed athlete, and faithful friend who was a positive example to everyone around him."
Kok was remembered as a strong leader and a spiritual leader among the student body.
"They are sharing great stories of Nate and what a great, Godly example he was to all of them," said Collette House, superintendent of Aurora Christian Schools.
"They know that Nate was a God-fearing, God-seeking man. They know he is with his heavenly Father. I think that's bringing comfort to not only the students but also to his family. It's a testament to the type of family he grew up in," said Stacy Beebe, principal of Aurora Christian Schools.