Lenoir City (WVLT) - There's a new effort to help classmates deal with the death of a 14-year-old killed in a flag football accident at school.

We're talking about Coty Bluford, who died during a P.E. class at Lenoir City high Wednesday.

Volunteer TV's Rob Pratt has more on what the school's planning and a look at Coty's family through the eyes of their longtime neighbor and friend. The Bluford's neighbor, Shot Wilson, lost his own son a few years ago. He says remembering is not easy, but forgetting the pain is even harder.

Even if you never knew Coty Bluford, you can feel the pain created by his loss, but Coty's neighbor and family friend of six decades, Shot Wilson, says unless you've lost a child yourself, you have no idea.

"They won't never get through it, you know it's going to be on their minds for years to come, everytime they see something it will remind them of him. They going to have a hard time," Wilson said.

Shot knows because he lost a son of his own, a man who happened to be Coty's uncle by marriage. Even before that, Shot says he always felt like Coty's family was his too.

"They all taking it hard. I went over last night to talk to them and they was all taking it pretty rough," Wilson said.

Friends at school have had a hard time too. Director of Schools Wayne Miller, another longtime family friend, says today has been better. He hopes a student-organized memorial service next week will help. So far, Miller says he could not have asked for a better response from the community.

"For years I've preached that we want to try to maintain Lenoir City Schools as a community-based school and this is a good example of why that's important and how well it works when you've maintained that focus," Miller said.

Whatever the focus, the family has a hard road ahead. Friends say their faith is what will get them through.

"The Lord said he wouldn't put more on you than you can bear. He's showed me that," Wilson said.

The school is still finalizing plans for next week's memorial service, but the funeral arrangements are complete.

The family will receive friends tomorrow from 4 to 7 p.m. at First Baptist Church in Lenoir City, with the funeral to follow. Graveside services will be held Sunday at 2 p.m. at Lakeview Cemetery.