SAN ANTONIO – Comforted by their strong religious convictions, members of Crossbridge Community Church are trying to come to grips with the death of a member of their youth group.
The body of Kyle Loveday, 17, was found Sunday in his overturned car in a drainage ditch in the 22800Â block of Bulverde Road. The Johnson High School student had been missing since Friday.
"For us it was a flood of emotions, obviously," said Chris Dillashaw, the youth pastor at the church.
"On Sunday morning, it changed from concern about Kyle being missing to how do we support and love the family as they deal with this loss," Dillashaw said.
Dillashaw said the congregation takes comfort in Loveday's deep spiritual foundation.
"He loved people and he loved Jesus," Dillashaw said. Â "We're a community that grieves with hope, because we know that though a tremendous loss, that Kyle knew Jesus and he's in heaven today."
Loveday was a major player in the church's youth group and at over 6 feet tall he was, in Dillashaw's words, "a gentle giant with a big heart."
The crash remains under investigation by the Bexar County Sheriff's Office.