Students remember New Richmond teen killed in crash

(KMSP) - The death of Megan Bennig is still raw for so many as the visitation and memorial services for the 16-year old are set for Tuesday and Wednesday in her hometown of New Richmond.

“Right now I’m still numb…a little feeling of sadness because of the milestones we’re gonna miss,” said her father Trent Bennig.

Trent rattles off prom, high school graduation, college and more after the devastating loss of his daughter Megan at the age of 16.

“She was an outdoors person…loved soccer, going for runs, hiking, fishing. And she loved being by the pool and swimming…this was her area,” he said in the family's back yard.

Megan Bennig, a popular student-athlete at New Richmond High School, was killed last week. She was on her way home from class Wednesday afternoon when there was a horrific collision with a semi at a rural Wisconsin intersection.

“[There have been] lots of hugs, lots of tears…it’s part of the healing process, I guess,” Trent said.

The Bennigs’ grief is shared by so many in this close community.

Memorials to Megan have grown at the school where Trent was scheduled to have his daughter in a webpage design class next semester, as well as at the crash site.

“It is hard. I don’t know how to cope with it. I am lost. I don’t know what to do,” said classmate Ashley Swiggum.

And under the Friday night lights, a rivalry was set aside to help with the healing process.

Osceola, 25 miles away from New Richmond, held a moment of silence before the two teams squared off last week.

Students there painted a solidarity banner that drew members of both communities together in the bleachers to mourn, and also to remember a special young woman gone far too soon.

“It helps you focus,” Trent said. “She touched a lot of lives in a really short time…to touch a lot of people is a pretty amazing thing.”

This is the second death in a week for the New Richmond school district, as a few days prior, 10-year-old Morgan Greene was killed while riding her bicycle when she was struck by a vehicle. 

Megan's mom, a kindergarten teacher in the Osceola school district, joined the community in remembering her.

Students at New Richmond High School will have a half-day Tuesday so they can make it to the visitation.