Funerals Set For Brothers Killed In School Bus Crash

ROSWELL, GA -- Friends and family members will soon gather to say goodbye to the Lassiter High School students and brothers who died Monday in a crash involving a school bus in Roswell.

The service for James Irving Pratt, 18, and Joseph Thomas Pratt, 14, is set for 2 p.m. Sunday, April 30 at Piedmont Church in Marietta.

The arrangements will be handled by Roswell Funeral Home.

The Pratt brothers were on their way to the dentist Monday when their vehicle collided with a school bus transporting special needs students from Roswell High School. The impact of the crash was reported along S.R. 92/Woodstock Road at West Road, Roswell police previously told Patch.

Both teens were pronounced dead at the scene. The students on the bus were not injured.

James was a senior while his brother was a freshman. Both brothers were also in Lassiter's NJROTC program and often volunteered with the program at Brumby Elementary School during special events and the after school program.

The boys also have a sister, Lilly, who is a junior at Lassiter and also in NJROTC, the system added. Lassiter High School Principal Dr. Chris Richie informed parents and guardians of the sudden, tragic deaths in a letter.

"There are no words that eases the pain that has devastated our Lassiter family and left us heartbroken," he added.

Dr. Richie noted both boys were "academically motivated, exceptional young men with tremendous leadership potential that we witnessed daily throughout our school and in our NJROTC program."
Grief counselors from the district are on hand to help Lassiter students process the news of their peers' deaths.

According to his obituary, Joseph Pratt was known for his sense of humor and ability "to light up a room with a well-timed joke and his laughter."

"Joe was able to befriend anyone due to his extensive knowledge of fun facts and world records," his obituary reads. "He hoped to one day follow in his brother's footsteps and join the military."

Older brother James had dreams of serving the United States, as he enlisted in the Marine Corps and was set to go to boot camp after graduation. He also had plans to attend Kennesaw State University.

"Jim was always seen helping other people and was known for having an unrivaled sense of kindness for others," his obituary notes.

The brothers are survived by mother, Jamie; their father, Tom; stepfather Brett Lago; two sisters, Stella and Lilly; and three sets of grandparents, James and Joyce Calabrese, Irving and Nancy Pratt, and Frank and Ann Lago, as well as a large extended family.

Additionally, a GoFundMe page also also been created to help the Pratt family. The Jim and Joe Pratt Memorial Fund seeks to raise $20,000 to help the family, which includes mother Jamie, father Tom and sister Stella, with any expenses related to the brothers' death. As of Thursday afternoon, that campaign has raised more than $59,000, some of which will also be used to help establish a college fund for Lilly.

Photo: from left, James and Joe Pratt. Credit: Cobb County School District