‘We just want him back’

Mike Sciacca and Angelique Flores

HUNTINGTON BEACH -- Family and friends will pour into a local church

Friday to pay their last respects to Jordan Connolly, a fun-loving

athlete who died in a head-on collision with a big rig the morning of

April 19.

“We’re just completely devastated at Jordan’s loss,” said his

stepfather Ron St. John. “We just want him back.”

The Huntington Beach High School senior whose life was cut short at 17

was a popular student waiting to begin his adult life.

He had his voter registration card waiting to be mailed in for when he

turned 18 next month, his stepfather added.

Treating everybody like family -- with the same amount of teasing and

devotion -- Jordan had a wide circle of friends. Looked up to by the

guys, the 6-foot 4-inch teen was a fit athlete who worked out every day.

He ran, swam and lifted weights. He was a strong, healthy guy made of 240

pounds of muscle who also attracted the adoration of many girls. However,

his heart belonged to 17-year-old Chelsea Fee, his girlfriend of two

years.

The popular athlete had his phone ringing off the hook, always being

invited to parties. Still, Jordan was never too cool to be loving toward

his parents, always telling his mom that he loved her, St. John recalled.

Many of Jordan’s schoolmates will remember the popular teen as a great

athlete. One of Jordan’s own best high school memories was starting on

the varsity football team his sophomore year. A three-year starter on the

Oilers football team, Jordan was one of the team leaders during the 2000

season.

“He was a guy who others would try to emulate,” said Tony Ciarelli,

Huntington Beach head football coach. “This team consisted of a close

group of kids, and they’re taking it very hard. Jordan is part of my

first full class of players. He was a freshman when I began coaching

here.”

Jordan, whom Ciarelli called a “gentle giant,” certainly made his

presence known on the football field. His senior season reflected the

type of player he was, as he earned second team All-Sunset League status,

became a member of the Independent’s 2000 Dream Team and received the

Oilers’ Offensive Lineman of the Year award.

Jordan finished what would be his final football season with 19 solo

tackles, 15 assists, two sacks and two fumble recoveries.

In his senior player bio in the 2000 Oiler Football Program, Jordan

listed another Ciarelli -- boys’ and girls’ volleyball Coach Rocky

Ciarelli -- as his favorite teacher. Jordan referred to him as “Rocko”

and was his student aid in his United States history class, Connolly’s

favorite subject.

“I worked with the football team last year, and one game in

particular, I remember him getting hurt and having to leave the game,”

Rocky Ciarelli said. “Instead of just sitting there and moping, he was

real lively, instructing his replacement and the rest of his teammates

just what to do. He was a team player.”

Jordan was anxious to play for the Orange Coast College football team.

“In the classroom, he was a good student. He had a funny, dry sense of

humor, and seemed to be well-liked by the other students,” Rocky Ciarelli

added. “The best thing I can say about Jordan is that he was just a real

good kid.”

The school has had an active crisis intervention plan to help the

students cope with the death of their schoolmate.

The tragedy happened April 19 when Jordan and 18-year-old Brandon Hay

were on State Route 177, 16 miles north of Desert Center, off the San

Bernardino Freeway, on their way to meet up with friends in Lake Havasu.

Jordan had been looking forward to the trip, telling his mom it would be

the best spring break ever.

Hay, driving a 1992 Ford Explorer, was passing another vehicle at a

high speed, said Officer Laura Quattlebaum, spokeswoman for the

California Highway Patrol. Hay slowed down when he saw the big rig coming

southbound.

The Explorer went out of control into the path of the truck driven by

50-year-old Michael Fiddler from Kingman, Ariz. The vehicles collided

head on.

The teens’ friends, Russ Oshman and Brett Flowers, were driving in

another car and tried to help Jordan out of the burning Explorer, but

authorities believe he had died upon impact. Hay sustained moderate

injuries, and Fiddler had minor injuries.

CHP authorities still don’t know why the Explorer went out of control.

“The big rig is not at fault,” Quattlebaum said.

The incident is still under investigation.

“It is so painful to have to think about, how violent that was,” St.

John said. “You don’t want your kids to be hurt.”

Connolly is survived by his mother Julie Connolly-St. John, his

stepfather, his father Jeff Connolly, stepmother Lori Connolly and

siblings Gregory, Jessica, Tony, Lindsey, Joannah and Jerad.

Funeral services will be 3 p.m. Friday at St. Wilfrid of York

Episcopal Church, 18631 Chapel Lane, Huntington Beach. A reception will

follow at 5 p.m. at Huntington Beach High School gym, 1905 Main St.,

Huntington Beach.