16-year-old boy killed in fiery, head-on crash in Kane County

UNINCORPORATED ELBURN, Ill. (WLS) -- A 16-year-old Aurora Christian High School student was killed and another seriously injured after a fiery, head-on crash in unincorporated Elburn in west suburban Kane County.

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.

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.

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.