Community remembers two Northern Kentucky teens killed in jet ski crash

CRESCENT SPRINGS, Ky. — Villa Madonna Academy students have built two memorials for the teens killed in a jet ski crash at Lake Cumberland in Pulaski County Friday.

Cole Fischer, 14, had graduated eighth grade while Chase Fischer, 18, had graduated from Villa Madonna High with plans to attend the University of Utah in the fall, according to the boys' obituary.

Griffin Slazyk and Piper Petry graduated with Chase and helped build a memorial with his favorite activities chalked onto the concrete, flowers dropped by the curb and their class photo in the parking spot Chase used at school.

"You could never find him without a smile," Slazyk said.

"His laughter was contagious," Petry added. "He was always cracking jokes at the teacher's expenses, but it was always light-hearted — never mean. He didn't have a mean bone in his body."

"Neither did Cole," Slazyk said.

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Slazyk and Petry were two of the hundreds of people who heeded the call from Pastor Eric Boelscher to gather at St. Joseph Parish in Crescent Springs to light a candle, remember the boys and pray for the family.

The Fischer family is well-known in the region through the prominent business Fischer Homes.

"We just thought it was important to support another family in the community with such a great loss and pray for them and be there for support," said Brain Dapp.

The entire graduating Villa Madonna Class of 2023 came to the service.

Petry said they graduated with 43 members of the class and that will never change.

"It's different being a private school than it is a public school. It's not 500 people," she said. "It's always going to be 43. Even if he's gone, he graduated with us."

According to their obituary, the visitation will be at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Crescent Springs on July 23 from 2:30-6:30 p.m., and Chase and Cole will be buried Monday, July 24 at 10 a.m. at the church. They will be laid to rest at Highland Cemetery in Fort Mitchell.

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