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‘Class clown’ is laid to rest

An image of victim Sebastian Forero at a memorial set up on San Fernando Road where it crosses under Interstate 5 in Burbank on Monday, Sept. 30, 2013. Five Burbank locals: Sugey Cuevas, Stephen Stoll, Malak Hariri, Sebastian Forero and Sameer Nevarez, died in a fiery car crash on San Fernando Road on September 28, 2013.
(Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
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Friends remembered Sebastian Forero as a “class clown” who loved playing Hacky Sack and skateboarding, and wasn’t afraid to speak his mind.

The 20-year-old Burbank resident was killed two weeks ago in a blazing car wreck that claimed the lives of five young people and left one injured.

Loved ones gathered in North Hollywood on Friday to mourn his passing.

“He always made you laugh — this is the only time I’ve had to cry because of Sebastian,” said Kevin Koshiro, who graduated from John Burroughs High School with Forero two years ago.

A student at Pasadena City College, Forero also worked for his family’s business, Koshiro said.

The pair aspired to build skateboards together. They’d even come up with a company name — “Koshifo” — which combined both of their last names.

Former classmate Ryan Mackel remembered Forero as a friendly person who had a knack for striking up conversations with strangers.

During a Las Vegas trip for both Forero and Mackel’s birthdays in August, it took them two hours to walk down the strip “because he had to stop and talk to everybody,” Mackel said with a laugh.

“As sad as we all are, whenever we share Sebastian stories we all just have to laugh,” Koshiro said.

It’s what he would’ve wanted — in his fifth-grade yearbook, Forero wrote that he wanted to be remembered for being funny, recalled friend and former classmate Martin Ortega-Jennison.

“Everybody loved him,” he said.

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Follow Alene Tchekmedyian on Google+ and on Twitter: @atchek.

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