During a celebration of life Saturday at West Albany High School’s football field, friends remembered Jesse Trader as a person they could count on for help, for cheering them up and for good advice.

And as a person they would miss always.

Trader, 19, a 2012 West Albany graduate, died Tuesday in a water truck crash as he was fighting a fire in Southern Oregon.

His mother said in an interview on Friday that Trader’s brakes were failing as he drove down a steep, winding logging road. He was trying to avoid ramming other rigs when his truck drove went off the road and rolled on an embankment, she said.

That split-second decision defined who Trader was, said William Arnold of Albany, who had the teen as an employee at Stars Moving Service.

“He did what needed to be done. He paid the ultimate price. He paid his life,” Arnold said.

High school classmate Heather Connelly said Trader wouldn’t have wanted to lose his life any other way.

“That was saving the lives of others,” she added.

Connelly said she wanted to be able to take away the pain of Trader’s girlfriend, Brandi Tyle. The two had dated since the summer after their eighth-grade year.

“Jesse was my best friend, my other half,” Tyle said.

“We all have a beautiful angel watching over us now,” she said.

Former and current Bulldog baseball players served as greeters during the event, giving hugs to many attendees, and, in some instances, fighting back emotion.

And, in some instances, failing to keep complete control of their emotions.

“(Hearing) the news was harder,” said Cody James, 20.

“It’s one of those things, you don’t think it’s real,” added Tanner Hall, 20.

“He’s had such an impact. I mean, look at how many people are here,” Hall said.

About 400 people attended.

Trader wanted to become a firefighter, and he had been accepted to a firefighting program at Chemeketa Community College.

Area public safety agencies, the Oregon Department of Forestry and other organizations had representatives at the memorial. The Bureau of Land Management and Oregon Fire Service honor guards served as pallbearers.

The event included a bell ceremony and dispatch call for Trader.