Lexington family mourns loss of teenage son after tragic car accident

LEXINGTON, Ky. (FOX 56) — A Lexington family is mourning the loss of their teenage son, who was killed in a car accident over the weekend. The community is rallying around them, and another teen involved is still fighting for his life. "He's kind of just the light that we're missing," said Tifany Perrine. Matthew Scott Perrine is described as a teenager full of life who loved family, friends, and baseball. His mom, Tifany, said he just got a car and that he couldn't wait to go to the upcoming prom. "I said you've got to make sure your pants fit,” said Perrine. “And he said he would come home that afternoon, and we would look. It just didn't happen." Saturday afternoon, officials said Matthew was in a head-on crash on Bryan Station Road. He and six others were taken to the hospital, where his mother was forced to make an impossible decision to let him go. "You were out of your body and in your body; it was just silence, but you just watched the poor lady giving CPR, and they all looked at me and I just shook my head no, and they shocked him again and there was nothing,” said Tifany. “And then it was time of death 5:01, and that was hard." Tifany said she and her family are heartbroken but are grateful for the support they've received from her son's classmates and baseball team at Frederick Douglass High School. A memorial has even been set up at the family's home. "There's been so many children that have come, and adults, and classmates sharing their stories just sitting and laying, or, you know, if they want something to eat or drink and just fellowship,” she said. “And it's just been very beautiful." Matthew's best friend, Noah Carbajal, was also in the car at the time of the accident. His brother, Caden, said he's in a medically induced coma with a long road to recovery ahead. "Plenty more weeks,” said Caden. “Plenty more months to go, but you know, we're all ready for it. We're here for him. And he's a fighter. And anyone that knows Noah knows that he's a fighter." A GoFundMe has been set up for the Perrine family and to help with Noah’s medical expenses. "To be able to tell my family that there's a whole crowd of people behind us, it makes everything so much easier,” said Caden. “And I'm thankful that I’ve got people around me. I’ve got a great support system, people that are here and in and out of the hospital every single day." Matthew is now frozen in time, forever 17, but his mom said he leaves behind a legacy of kindness. "There's so much hate and anger and just bullying and meanness in the world today,” she said. “And to know that he was able to step away from that and to spread love and kindness to other people, that means a lot to me." Perrine said a celebration of life has been scheduled for Sunday afternoon at Frederick Douglass High School.