For those who wish to support the families of Mariah and Sebastian, GoFundMe pages have been created to help cover funeral costs and other needs during this difficult time. Links are available below:
Last Friday, August 22nd, our Grandview community was shaken by a heartbreaking loss. Mariah Phillips, a senior at Grandview, and Sebastian Luevanos-Ocampo, a 2025 graduate, passed away in a tragic motorcycle accident. As a public voice of the Grandview community, we extend our deepest support and condolences to the families of Sebastian and Mariah and all those affected.
It is impossible to make sense of something so sudden and so shattering. In moments like these, words are never enough. However, we feel it is important to recognize that their legacy is one to respect and celebrate. Silence alone cannot carry the weight of what has happened.
Each part of our community has experienced this loss – students, teachers, and staff. During loss, we search for meaning: for lessons, for reasoning, for something to hold onto. But sometimes, what we find isn’t clarity. Instead, it’s community.
In the darkest hour, when the grief feels too much to carry alone, light often shines from the people who surround us. We want to remind each person that they are not alone in this.
Mariah and Sebastian are still a part of Grandview and always will be. They made an impact not only on this school but also the people. In one way or another, their lives have intersected with ours in immeasurable ways.
To the students and staff of Grandview: this is a time to be gentle with yourselves and with each other. To check in. To show up. To remember that presence is powerful and that kindness leaves a mark.
To the families of Sebastian and Mariah: we grieve with you. We hold your children’s names with care. We will speak of them with respect, with reverence, and with the understanding that their lives mattered deeply.
Their legacy is in the people they touched while they were here. In the friendships they built. In the love they shared. In the way they showed up for others.
We will not turn away. We will simply stand together.
If you or someone you know is struggling during this time, please reach out to trusted loved ones, friends, or the mental health resources available here at our school. You are not alone, and support is always within reach.
To honor the lives of Mariah and Sebastian, a balloon release will be held on August 30th at 5:00 PM at 6703 S Robertsdale Way, Aurora, CO, 80016. This event will be to celebrate the lives of these two and help the families cover the funeral costs. Each balloon will cost three dollars, lanterns six dollars, and water lilies ten dollars. Everyone will be handed a candle at no cost while supplies last.
