An SUV rollover crash Monday in northern New Mexico has claimed the lives of Euless teenagers Polo Manukainiu, 19, Gaius "Keio" Vaenuku, 18, and Lolo Uhatafe, 13.
The 2002 Toyota Sequoia was traveling south on U.S. 550 and drifted off of the roadway. The driver over corrected and the vehicle rolled several times, according to New Mexico State Police.
Manukainiu and Lolo Uhatafe were ejected from the vehicle and pronounced dead at the scene. Vaenuku was transported from the scene of the accident but was pronounced dead in the ambulance. Salesi Uhatafe and his father Salesi Sr. were transported to San Juan Regional Hospital after sustaining minor injuries.
Manukainiu, a defensive lineman at Texas A&M, and Salesi Uhatafe are stepbrothers. Salesi Uhatafe and Vaenuku, who also graduated from Euless Trinity, were to play football for Utah in the fall. Lolo Uhatafe, a Euless Junior High student, is Salesi's brother.
"It's not going to be the same and he was a good boy and his brother too, they are both good boys," said Lima Uhatafe, the mother of Lolo and Salesi Uhatafe, to Fox 4 in Dallas. "He loved his school he loved his family, that was the last word I heard from him."
Students began gathering at Euless Trinity on Tuesday to prepare a memorial.
"They were great, great kids," said Euless Trinity principal Mike Harris of Manukainiu and Vaenuku. "Great personalities. Not only were they physically bigger than life, but so were their personalities. They were loved and adored. They were kids you loved to send out as ambassadors for Trinity High School. We took as much pride in their being Trinity graduates as they did from being Trinity grads."
Alcohol was not involved and it appears the driver was the only one wearing a seat belt, according to the police report.
“We lost a terrific young man,” Texas A&M coach Kevin Sumlin said. “Polo was loved by his teammates and coaches. Anyone who came in contact with him was struck by his sense of humor and smile. My heart aches for his mom and family members.”
Vaenuku was a defensive tackle who had planned to play one year at Utah before going on a two-year Mormon mission, the Deseret News of Salt Lake City reported in January when he committed. The son of Sam and Sela Vaenuku leaves behind four siblings.
“Everyone who knew Gaius is heartbroken today,” Utah coach Kyle Whittingham said. “He was the kind of young man who lit up a room and his future in football and life had no boundaries. Words cannot express our devastation over the loss of Gaius.”