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Tears Flow In Saddle Brook Remembering 'Bright Light' Brooke Costanzo

SADDLE BROOK, N.J. — A group of girls huddled in a circle outside of the field house at Saddle Brook High School Tuesday evening.

Chris Vidal, 18, places a bouquet of roses under a memorial for Brooke Costanzo at a vigil at Saddle Brook High School Tuesday evening.

Chris Vidal, 18, places a bouquet of roses under a memorial for Brooke Costanzo at a vigil at Saddle Brook High School Tuesday evening.

Photo Credit: Cecilia Levine
Photo collages of Brooke Costanzo of Saddle Brook were accompanied by flowers, notes and candles.

Photo collages of Brooke Costanzo of Saddle Brook were accompanied by flowers, notes and candles.

Photo Credit: Cecilia Levine
Middle schoolers, whose sisters were friends with Brooke, along with dozens of loved ones and strangers alike, came to show support.

Middle schoolers, whose sisters were friends with Brooke, along with dozens of loved ones and strangers alike, came to show support.

Photo Credit: Cecilia Levine
Friends left notes for Brooke on posters outside of the field house at Saddle Brook High School.

Friends left notes for Brooke on posters outside of the field house at Saddle Brook High School.

Photo Credit: Cecilia Levine

They took turns hugging each other, every so often glancing at photos of Brooke Costanzo's smiling face on poster board hanging on the wall behind them.

The girls composed themselves for a few seconds, but each time they looked away, the sobs continued.

Just last week, the girls were laughing in between classes with Costanzo, 16, who died early Monday morning, after she lost control of her car driving on a dark and winding road in New Brunswick.

A candlelight vigil was held in her memory on Tuesday evening, but nearly everyone in attendance said that no candle in the world could outshine Brooke.

FACEBOOK LIVE OF VIGIL: CLICK HERE

"She lit up a room," said Mackenzie Juliano, 14, who identified herself as a longtime family friend of the Costanzo family.

"Her eyes were so bright and her heart had so much happiness. I can't imagine her not being in my life."

Brooke's lacrosse coach Sharon DiGiovanni stood on the football field, holding a candle, surrounded by her family.

It wasn't only her fierceness that made Brooke a stellar athlete, the coach said, but her stoicism that held the team together.

"This year on senior day, she made sure that every senior got the ball and scored," the coach told Daily Voice, tears welling up in her eyes. "She supported everybody. She watched out for everybody.

"It's a sad day in lacrosse. But she's bringing it up there. God has gained a wonderful soul and a beautiful angel."

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