A trackside honor for Hamilton teen who died in crash

By Bruno Matarazzo Jr.
Staff Writer

August 18, 2008 12:21 am

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HAMILTON ¬— Gabriel Pacione made a name for himself on the track behind Hamilton-Wenham Regional High School.

So it seemed fitting to his friends Dan Katz and Kellyann Moniz to remember him there last night in a tribute that involved 1,000 candles lining the track. Just outside the track was a cross bearing the name Gabe, as well as flowers and other tokens of remembrance.

Pacione, 18, died Aug. 11 in a single-car crash on Grapevine Road in Wenham. His wake Thursday and funeral on Friday, both at Church of the St. Paul in downtown Hamilton, drew thousands of mourners.

To help themselves and other move past grief for Pacione, Katz and Moniz wanted an event where friends could remember the cross-country and track and field star and call attention to a scholarship created in his name.

"We're both great friends of Gabe and the Pacione family," said Katz, who graduated from Hamilton-Wenham Regional High School with Pacione in June. "We wanted to keep the memory going."

The event was organized through word of mouth and on the social networking Web site Facebook. Friends created a group on Facebook called "For Gabe" hours after his death and there are more than 1,700 members.

"He was a great friend. He inspired a lot of people," Katz said.

"He had a big heart," Moniz added.

Students and some parents began gathering at the track shortly before 8 p.m.

Shortly afterwards, the students began lighting the 1,000 tea lights surrounding the track.

Fellow student Courtney Bateman, 17, of Wenham, was a year below Pacione was has known him since elementary school.

"He was very talented and an inspiration for everyone," Bateman said. "I came to pay my respects. He was an awesome kid."

Jackson MacDonald, 16, who was in indoor and outdoor track with Pacione, remembers how much fun practice and meets were with him.

"He made track a blast. He was just an awesome person," MacDonald said.

MacDonald heard about Pacione in his freshman year and how he excelled on the field.

"Just seeing him run was like ... wow," MacDonald said. "He helped us win so many key meets."

Cross-country and track-and-field coach Steve Sawyer had similar thoughts.

Sawyer, who has been coaching runners since 1969, recalls two "top-notch" athletes in his career.

The first was Darren Shearer who went on to Harvard University and the Olympic trials in 2000 and 2004 in the steeplechase event.

"I would place Gabe Pacione in (Schearer's) class," Sawyer said. "I'm so sorry he won't be able to finish in running career."

Pacione, who was planning on starting Dartmouth College in the fall, was a two time Cape Ann League Runner of the Year and a four time Salem News Runner of the Year. He also holds 11 Hamilton-Wenham Regional High School records as an individual and relay team member.

Donations may be made to the Gabriel Pacione Memorial Scholarship Fund at any Bank of America branch. Donations may be mailed to the Bank of America, 15 Walnut St., Hamilton MA 01982.