Rest In Peace Nick

SAN MATEO � Seventeen-year-old Nicholas Barron loved cars so much and had such a silver tongue that when his grandmother Marlene Ferrigno went to pick out a Cadillac, he came with her. He picked out everything, from the cherry-red color to the chrome package, and did all the dealing with the car salesman, his mother Gina Barron said.

But cars proved his undoing Saturday night. Barron, a student at Aragon High School, was killed in a car accident shortly after 10 p.m.

“It shouldn’t happen,” his father, Joel Barron, said Sunday.

Nicholas � the youngest of three sons � was driving his older brother Anthony Barron’s 1993 Camaro Z28 westbound on state Highway 92 at between 90 and 100 mph on the night he died, according to the California Highway Patrol.

While speeding, he attempted to merge into the fast lane from the next lane over, police said. He lost control of the car, and it veered right and hit another car driven by a 76-year-old San Mateo man who was traveling at 55 mph. The Camaro kept veering right, drove up a steep embankment and flipped.

Nicholas, who was not wearing a seat belt, was ejected from the car and pronounced dead at the scene. He was driving two friends up to the Crystal Springs Safeway store to meet with other friends, his parents said. The two passengers were wearing seat belts and were treated and released from Stanford Hospital with minor injuries.

The man driving the other car suffered moderate injuries and was also taken to Stanford.

The accident left family and friends bereft of a generous and charismatic young man who could, his grandfather George Barron said, “sell an icebox to an Eskimo.”

His brother, Brandon Barron, recalled going to the dean’s office at Aragon for throwing a piece of clay one day and finding Nicholas there � hanging out with the dean, and skipping class to do so.

Joel Barron said he found an employee for his startup company through his youngest son. He laughed about how well Nicholas played baseball at this year’s Father’s Day picnic, catching with his bare hands and hitting home runs, though he’d never followed his two brothers’ interest in sports. The entire family recalled that Nicholas helped a friend move earlier that day before his shift at Safeway, which ended at 9 p.m.

“He was so comfortable in his own skin,” Gina Barron said.

And then there were the cars. Nicholas got a scooter when he was only 15, and by the time he was 17, he had a huge Dodge Ram pickup that he worked on every week, his friend Ben Blosser said. Nicholas and his brother Anthony liked to trade cars from time to time, switching the sports car for the truck.

Crowds of Nicholas’ friends gathered in front of his home Sunday. They were already wearing shirts with his likeness printed on the front and back.

“He could make anybody smile,” said Tory Freeman, 16.

As of last night, the world has lost one of its brightest beings, Nick Barron was a great friend to me throughout my life, I have known him since Kindergarden, biggest smile, said hi to my mom all the time. If there was ever someone who never deserved something like this, it was Nick. He leaves behind two brothers and two loving parents who could all use your support in this tragic matter. Please show your respect for him by using this buddy icon that can also be found here. Or you can download this wallpaper:

800×600
1024×768

12 comments