One year ago – on Feb. 5 – two teenagers were killed in a tragic accident on Dewdney Trunk Road in Maple Ridge.

And on Tuesday, the one-year anniversary, a couple dozens teens gathered at the crash site to release green balloons in memory of the friends they lost.

The accident claimed the lives of Crystal Weaver – who would have turned 17 on Feb. 9 – as well as 17-year-old Dawson Spencer.

“It has been a real tough year. [The balloon release] is supposed to be their closure,” said Cheryl McCarten, the mom of one of Dawson’s friends.

In the past year a lot has changed, McCarten said.

“Drinking and driving is a thing of the past. They all look out for one another if there is any drinking going on. Nobody gets behind the wheel of a car if they have been drinking,” she added.

“Your kid might be the one making the right decisions. One thing that this group didn’t do very much before was take cabs. Now they do. They will spend the money on it, or the parents will cover the costs,” said McCarten.

Following Tuesday’s vigil, the group has been asked to clean up the fence, where many mementos have been left.