Greyer Schwegel was good with his hands, said family and friends. The 18-year-old from Hollis had a mechanic’s brain – so much so that his friends would often call on him to fix up their cars.
“He was the most undependably dependable person you ever met, because he was all over the place all the time,” said Cody Schwegel, Greyer’s dad. He’s a pastor at Liberty Church in Craig.
Sitting in a meeting room on a recent Friday afternoon, Cody’s eyes lit up as he talked about his son.
“He was like a 10-millimeter socket – when you needed him, he wasn’t around, but then he would show up right in the right time,” he said.
Cody said his son wanted to help people, and he wanted to love people. He said he never left his friends without saying “I love you.”
Greyer and his buddy, 17-year-old Paul Lingley IV, were killed on July 14 when their dirt bikes collided with each other in Hollis, on the eastern side of Prince of Wales Island. The tragedy has rattled the tight knit island, and people from all over have stepped up to help the family. GoFundMe pages for both families have exceeded their fundraising goals.
Cody said both kids were tried and true Alaskans. At a young age, Paul would regularly be seen playing outside. His dad, Paul Lingley III, said when they lived in Juneau, his quick-witted son would often play games with the neighbor kids.
“We’d have some pretty epic kickball games, come home and there’s 16 kids in your yard,” Lingley III said. “You got to play with them, but he just liked being outside and playing sports mostly.”
That love of sports stuck with his son. He enjoyed several sports, but his dad said basketball was his favorite. He played a pivotal role on Klawock High School’s team – serving as point guard. His jersey number, 20, has since been retired.
And being a key player went beyond the court. Paul lived in a single-parent household, and helped clean and get his siblings ready for school. He also drove his siblings and other family members around town, something he loved doing. When Paul wasn’t driving them, his dad said he was distributing food through a local food program.
“He liked it,” Lingley III said. “He likes talking to people, and he didn’t mind the work. I mean, got to drive around and deliver food, so it was fine.”
Greyer’s role in the community and in his family was just as crucial. He was a caregiver for his younger brother and often took him fishing or four wheeling. If he shot a deer or caught a fish, Greyer would first fill the freezers of elders in his life.
His dad also said some of Greyer’s friends credit him for being alive today. He said his son supported them through very difficult times, and that his heart and forethought were impressive.
“I can’t tell you how many I counted said that he was their best friend,” Cody said. “One kid that I’ve not met, but he spent time with, said that he was the most real person and had the best outlook on life that he had ever seen.”
His dad said Greyer also worked hard. He recently started a job at a mine, which his dad said was the worst job there – but Greyer loved it. He also enjoyed woodworking and even made and sold his own deer calls.
Cody said his son was a man of faith who valued family, and one day had dreams of having a family of his own. His dad said the two were already looking at plans to build a house.
“There were so many things that I never got to do with him, that I’m like – it tears me up, you know? The gray hair, and the Christmas mornings of having his kids, and being a part of buying a house or moving into their first house, and all of those amazing memories that don’t get to be,” Cody said.
Cody hopes that this tragedy can put into perspective how fragile life is. He said people on the island are hurting, but he urges them to be honest with their feelings and not cover them up.
Paul’s dad urges parents to spend as much time with their children as they can.
“Love your kids, play with your kids, go outside and play, throw a ball with them, because it’s important,” Lingley III said.
Paul’s dad said there’s no place he’d rather be than Prince of Wales Island during this tragedy. He said the community support has been amazing. Over 100 people showed up for a recent bonfire held in memory of the boys.
Greyer’s celebration of life will be at 1 p.m. on August 8 at Liberty Church in Craig. His dad said there’s no dress code. There will be a dessert potluck in Greyer’s honor.
Correction: A previous version of this story incorrectly stated that Greyer Schwegel lived in Craig. He lived in Hollis.
Hunter Morrison is a Report for America corps member for KRBD. Your donation to match our RFA grant helps keep him writing stories like this one. Please consider making a tax-deductible contribution.
