Teen's Injury In Fall Sparks Outpouring Of Support

The late afternoon on Veterans Day at the Meres household in Woodbridge was supposed to be relaxing. School was out for the holiday. The Meres family had just returned from visiting a college in West Virginia with son John Jr., a popular soccer player at Woodbridge Senior High School.

But then an incident occurred outside the Meres residence, an event that has prompted the arrest of a 16-year-old girl and the near-death of John Jr., according to Prince William County police.

Police said that Meres, 17, jumped on the trunk of a friend's Saturn and that the driver then quickly pulled away. John fell and struck the pavement, critically injuring his head. He was flown to Inova Fairfax Hospital with life-threatening injuries.

As of Friday, police said, he remained in critical condition. The car's operator, a 16-year-old girl, was charged with, among other crimes, reckless driving and hit-and-run.

Police did not release the girl's name because she is a juvenile. Erika Hernandez, a Prince William police spokeswoman, said investigators learned that the girl left after Meres fell and returned after discovering that he was seriously injured. The girl has a hearing soon at the county's juvenile court.

The Meres family has been trying to cope, spending time at the hospital and also being buoyed by a vast network of friends who are using Facebook to share grief and prayer, said Jennifer Meres, John Jr.'s aunt and the family's spokeswoman.

"We have a very close family and a lot of friends. It's been so wonderful for us, and it has helped us stick through all this," said Meres, an elementary school teacher. She said the parents, her brother John Sr., who runs a snow and sand removal business, and Mary, who works for Verizon, were too distraught to be interviewed.

On Facebook, a social networking site, John Jr.'s friends have set up a dedication page that reads: "If you've joined/are trying to join this group you've probably already heard the news, please keep John in your prayers! We all love you John and want you to come home asap!"

John Jr.'s Facebook page, filled with friends' posted comments, is symbolic of how today's youths can easily share their thoughts with a family in crisis without intruding through hospital or home visits.

The messages are impassioned, filled with heart symbols, exclamation points and quick phrases that hint at John's life at school.

One friend, Ryan Cox, wrote: "hey john. we're all still praying for you. get better quick and come make oceanography fun again!"

Tiffany Taylor wrote: "JOHNNYBOY . . . U NEED TO GET BETTER SO I CAN CALL U IN [THE] HALLWAYS AGAIN. MISS U . . . GET BETTER."

Jennifer Meres said the family is declining to talk about the police investigation or the incident.

She said she immediately drove to the scene in the incident's aftermath.

"The street was crowded with people, and they were sitting back, just watching" emergency officials, Meres said. "My brother is just a cool guy, and he seemed to be taking it in full stride."