St. Thomas students shared profound grief with the Carleton College community after the loss of three students: James Adams, 20 of St. Paul; Paxton Harvieux, 21, of Stillwater and Michael Goodgame, 20, of Westport, Connecticut.

The students were headed from Northfield to the Minneapolis-St. Paul airport Friday, Feb. 28, when they skidded on an icy road and were struck by an oncoming truck. The driver, 20-year-old William Sparks of Evanston, Ill., is listed in satisfactory condition at Hennepin County Medical Center, along with Conor Eckert, 19, of Seattle. Members of the ultimate frisbee team, the students were en route to a tournament in California.

St. Thomas junior Sam Irvine said he wants people to know about “the kind heart” of Adams, his best friend.

According to Adams’ obituary, he attended St. Paul Academy where he was “an accomplished athlete and scholar, co-captain on the football, hockey and golf teams, and he achieved several academic awards, including the Cum Laude Society, upon graduation in 2011.” At Carleton College, he was a junior majoring in chemistry.

St. Thomas junior Peggy Jackson was friends with Adams since preschool in St. Paul. The two were in the same confirmation class at church. Jackson said Adams was “very welcoming to everyone, never let anyone feel left out.”

“He was always smiling and had the best laugh that would just make you laugh whenever you heard it,” Jackson said. “He was very smart and always willing to help me with my homework. He was also a great athlete.”

Jackson was also on the golf team with Adams.

“Golf for me was very competitive, and it was hard for me to turn it into something that was fun. But, James could do that for me. He was just goofy and he would help me just let go and have fun,” Jackson said.

St. Thomas junior Jenna Birch said Adams was always kind.

“James was one of the sweetest people I’ve ever known. He never said anything bad about anyone, and he lived life so positively,” Birch said. “He was a true leader and a person people wanted to follow. His smile was contagious and his laugh was unforgettable. I think his positivity and his happiness toward life should be remembered.”

Funeral services for the two Minnesotans were held Saturday.

Michelle Doeden can be reached at doed1842@stthomas.edu