The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

The Canadian Champion, Friday, Jane 27, 2008 - A9 GRAHAM PAINE CANADIAN CHAMPION SAYING GOODBYE: Photos of liko Nourkov (left) and Mario Llanos form part of the memoial in the school's cafeteria. Reding students celebrate lives of classmates killed in crash By Stephanie Hounseil CANADIAN CHAMPION STAFF If theres dancinsg in heaven, Manio and liko arc movsng in tise heat. l'hat was a sentiment expressed agaiis and agaîn as stu- dents tisok ts thc podium Wffednesday afiernsoon ai a celebra- tiin -not a inemoniai -sf tise lives of[ Mario Llanos and Ilko Nisurkov, who wcre both killed lasi misnth as a resuit of a car crash. "Bosys, we wîli ail sec you agaîn and when we dis, von bet- (ci- be dancing," saîd bin Hope. In a seemingiy fîtîng tnibute lis the îwo 17-year old fîiends, ite commemnoration. was anythîng but typical. witls tise Bîshop Redîîsg (BR) cafeteria pumpîng ouît Euro music and filieci wiih students holding light sticks. The celebration was part laughter, part tears for the 150- or-as young people who turned out to honour their [allen classmates. On the wall were twn large banners beaning hundreds of signatures. "Blessed are Marin, and Ilita, for theirs is the king- dom of heaven,' read one of them. For sale were jerseys imprinted with Marins and Ilkos numhers - hoth were members of the school's seniosr bîsys soccer team. A slide show projected photos of the boys with friends, having [un, îsften with eacb other. Poems were read. prayers were saîd and many students spoke [rom the heart about what they'll remember of the two lîves ihat were eut short. Manios girlfniend ni a year-and-a-hai[, Kayla Mallais, asked the question no doubt stîli lîngering in mînds: Why? But she moved on to speak of happy memories, shaning the way she and Manîs came together and whaî inade their relationshîp special. "Marin used to say we were sîs perfect for each other hecause we were so dîfferent,' she saîd, addîîsg, -I persîsnal- ly wîll alwavs remnember Manios smile, whîch streiched from ear tîs ear." Determined, stratght[orward and honesi were words Kayla used to descnhbe her boyfniend. -We loved each other very inuch and l'ma happy to say I had the oppnrtonîtv to love snmeîsne 50 amazîng. She also spoke of the strong friendship Manio and Ilko shared. -Whether îî was îhrough a staile lîke Manios or laughter like Ilkos, welIl alwax's rememher,. these îwo bosys," Kayia said. Taking hais tum up frosnt, Krzvsztof Staskoiswak, who said he cisnsidered Martîs and Ilko his hesi friends, spoke osf hîsw dîfficult the past few weeks have heen. -You can clisse your eyes ts thîngs yisu dîo't want tsi see, hut yîsu can't clisse your heart ts things yvsn don't want ts feel," he saîd. Krzysztof described Ilko as aiways having his îswn opin- ions and not beîng easily inllueisced by oîhers. Hîs strong personality allowed him us make his own choîces and stand by them, he said. That strength translated into a real leadership on the soc- see YOUTHS on page A14 Ler how tu talk tu othvet about theïr Ienoking. CANADIAN CANCER SCCETY'S SMotgERS' HELPUINE 1-877-513-5333 j FIEE PIZZA! M bilimu Cri., suIIuutmuUII315-UUII îoaiKîdS helps klIS with dRisablotes bo ail tboy can bO. HeIp us halp tho kids - Corne share the dreami For information go to www.orinoakkids.ca thon click Donato - or cali 905-491-4452 ERINOAIF EVERY SUNDAY NIGHT IN JULY For great music between great races, join us at Mohawk Racetrack. Racing starts at 7:30 p.m., complete concert listings are available at www.WoodbineEntertainment.com. THE RANDALLS Sunday, Jane,251h THE HICCINS* Sunday, July 6th SHANIA TWIN Tnibute ta Shania Twain Sunday, July 131h STEPHEN KABAKOS Trnbute to Elvis Sunday July 2Oth GORD BAMFORD* Sunday, July 27th