Oxford teen shares memories of friend killed in Furnas County fire

"A.J. is going to be remembered forever. No one's ever going to forget him."

OXFORD, Neb. (KLKN) – On Monday, a Furnas County fire claimed the life of an 18-year-old boy.

The fire happened in a rural part of the county, southwest of Oxford, Nebraska, inside a farm shop building. The boy was identified as Alan Jerry Weatherwax, also known as A.J., a senior at Southern Valley High School.

One of A.J.’s close friends, Kenneth Schuler spoke with Channel 8 about their friendship.

“He was one of the first ones that would actually reach out to help me when I switched schools in my freshman year,” Schuler said.

Schuler, a 17-year-old junior at Southern Valley says the two were close friends for the past three years. He says A.J. would regularly give him rides home from school. He describes A.J. as being a caring, outgoing person who thought outside of himself to help others.

“I had been wearing an old pair of boots that were falling apart and held together by duct tape,” Schuler said. “A.J. went out and he bought me a brand new pair and gave them to me the next day and didn’t give me a choice whether I wanted them or not. He would go out of his way for anybody. He was loved by everyone and a stranger to no one.”

The fire happened on Southern Valley’s Senior Skip Day.  Officials are still investigating what caused the fire.

Schuler says A.J. tells Channel 8 he would like to dedicate the Hardy song “Give Heaven Some Hell” to A.J.’s memory. He says his friend’s spirit and kindness will never be forgotten by those who loved him.

“A.J. is going to be be remembered forever,” Schuler said. “No one’s ever going to forget him.”