"I'm so just hurt. He, he's my brother."
Searching for strength and comfort Shawn Potters two brothers played with friends outside their northwest Fresno home. "Now I have the little one I have to look after now and he's gonna be in good hands because I know he's going to be watching us, I know he is," said Shawn's Brother Stephen Potter.
Fresno police say the 15-year-old sophomore was killed during a game of chicken. Investigators say Potter was preparing to jump off the tracks when he was clipped by the freight train. His two friends jumped just in time.
Officials believe the train was traveling around 40 miles an hour when it struck Potter.
Potter played both baseball and football at Central High East. Family members say when he wasn't playing sports; Shawn liked to spend time in the kitchen. "He loved baking cakes for our family. That was the thing he did. We would always make fun of him of course the older brother thing you know how it is. He loved baking cakes, he loved cooking. He was just the all around fun loving guy, everyone loved Shawn."
Shawn's older brother hopes everyone understands the dangers of trains. "I just want this to be a lesson learned, if this can save 20 kids by him dying that's fine with me. As long as they live, as long as they learn from this."
The coroner's office said Shawn Potter's legal last name is Guentensberger. Central High East offered grief counseling today and tomorrow at the school.
A vigil will also be held Saturday night 7pm at North Pointe Church off of Herndon and Milburn.
Family members have set up a memorial fund:
Shawn Potter Memorial Fund
Wells Fargo Bank
Account Number: 7860451785
