MILWAUKEE, Wis. — Family and friends are remembering 18-year-old David Hunt as a caring, passionate young man who wanted to make a difference in the lives of others. Hunt was killed Sunday night, November 1, when a vehicle being pursued by Milwaukee police crashed into the car he was driving.
Hunt was in his senior year of high school at the Milwaukee School of Languages and was a passionate youth leader with 'YES', the youth branch of Voces de la Frontera. Those who knew him describe him as charmingly goofy, compassionate, and committed to social justice.
“I have been thinking a lot on not just what David won't be able to do, but what the world is going to miss out without David in it,” said Laura Peek, a close family friend who has watched Hunt grow up alongside her children.
Peek said helping others and standing up for what was right were central to Hunt's character.
“His life was about helping. It was about making things right. It was about making things just,” she said.
Peek said Hunt had already shown a strong interest in making a difference in his community. He was even registered to vote, but died two days before what would've been his first Election Day.
“He was registered to vote, and he didn't get to vote in his first election. That's tough. That's tough,” Peek said. “There were all these things that he was planning for, and a life, a life, a long life, and so that's really hard to think about."
According to Milwaukee police, officers attempted to stop a driver for reckless driving on November 1. Police say the driver refused to stop, leading to a pursuit.
The pursuit ended near South Layton Boulevard and West Greenfield Avenue when the suspect's vehicle crashed into the car Hunt was driving.
The two people inside the vehicle being pursued were sent to the hospital with injuries. The driver was taken into custody.
The loss has been devastating for Hunt's family and those who watched him grow up.
“It's devastating. It's devastating to see my friends go through this. And as a parent, that's — can't imagine that,” Peek said.
In his obituary, Hunt's parents remembered his love for family and friends, his playful personality and the bright future ahead of him.
As family and friends grieve, Peek hopes Hunt's legacy will inspire others to carry forward the values he lived by.
“I think it would be to be a helper. Always ask if someone needs help, and don't back down from things that you're passionate about,” she said.
Peek believes those simple acts can help keep Hunt's way of living alive.
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