Hundreds of Jeeps took part in a procession to the memorial service for the 18-year-old who was killed while trying to stop two teen gunmen at his Denver high school.
Two thousand people filled Cherry Hills Community Church in Highlands Ranch on Wednesday to honor Kendrick Castillo, who was killed just three days before he was meant to graduate from STEM School Highlands Ranch.
Castillo loved Jeep trucks and saved up so that he could buy his own. So a local Jeep enthusiast group put out the call to honor him with a special procession, and more than 600 answered her call.
Colorado Jeep Girls took to their Instagram to ask fellow Jeep fans to show up to the service in 'whatever Jeep you drive'.
Hundreds of Jeeps took part in a procession to the memorial service for Kendrick Castillo, the 18-year-old who was killed while trying to stop two teen gunmen at his Denver high school
Castillo loved Jeep trucks and saved up so that he could buy his own (pictured). So a local Jeep enthusiast group put out the call to honor him with a special procession, and more than 600 answered her call
'As you all know, Kendrick was a Jeep lover,' the post read. 'As a Jeep community, we have been asked to come together as one to show our support for this young man and his family.'
'We will be joining in on the procession to send him off in true Jeeper fashion. Please join us in whatever Jeep you drive. New, old and everything in between! Let's show Kendrick's family the love from our Jeep community to them.'
Catherine Fanaro, the founder of Colorado Jeep Girls, told KCNC that people in the community wanted to 'get together and support however we can'.
'This is a huge turnout. I didn't expect it to get as big as it did, and it's not just Jeepers. It's other 4×4 enthusiasts and car clubs and stuff that have reached out and said, 'Hey, I want to be part of this.''
Two thousand people filled Cherry Hills Community Church in Highlands Ranch on Wednesday to honor Castillo, who was killed just three days before he was meant to graduate from STEM School Highlands Ranch
Colorado Jeep Girls took to their Instagram to ask fellow Jeep fans to show up to the service in 'whatever Jeep you drive' to honor Castillo
More than 800 Jeep fans promised to take part in the procession to show love to Castillo's family on Wednesday
Castillo was also honored with a full police motorcade, the first formal motorcade ever given to a civilian by the Douglas County Sheriff's Office. Police are pictured here escorting the teen's hearse as it arrives for the service
Castillo's green Cherokee was included in the procession.
Right behind it was a Jeep driven by his best friend Charles Burroughs Jr, a fellow Jeep lover.
Castillo was also honored with a full police motorcade, the first formal motorcade ever given to a civilian by the Douglas County Sheriff's Office.
The department said it wanted to honor Castillo's courageous act after he immediately threw himself at one of the gunmen as his peers ran to safety.
Castillo also loved Robotics, which was reflected in the robots that were lined up outside the church. Two robots held a sign that read 'A hero 4 heroes'.
'People in the community just really want to get together and support however we can,' Catherine Fanaro, the founder of Colorado Jeep Girls, said of the unique procession
Castillo also loved Robotics, which was reflected in the robots that were lined up outside the church. Two robots held a sign that read 'A hero 4 heroes'
Police have hailed Castillo for saving his classmates' lives after he threw himself on one of the shooters last week
A kayak was on the stage at the memorial, along with a photo of a Jeep and two sports
