TRAGEDY

Two High School Grads Killed Hours After Landing in Peru for Graduation Trip

The 18-year-olds were visiting Peru on a long-awaited vacation.

Two recent high school graduates died in a tragic motor bike crash hours after arriving in Cusco, Peru for a long-awaited senior trip. Zachary Morris and Albert Ales, both 18, were thrown from a motor bike after they crashed into a bus on their way to the Saqsaywaman Archeological Park. Both were brought to a local hospital, but later succumbed to their injuries. The teens graduated from Southeast High School in Bradenton, Florida about a week ago. Ales was set to attend the University of Central Florida in the fall. Morris was planning to go to Yale University. “You don't believe it,” said Richard Platt, who taught the pair engineering for four years. “They were such an integral part of my life, and the lives of other kids at Southeastern High School for four years, and when you see such strong, dominant personalities that were so supportive and caring for other people, it's hard to say goodbye to them.” Platt said the school will be dedicating part of the engineering lab to Morris and Ales.