Friend of Calgary bobsled accident survivors speaks out on tragedy

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Carter Soriano was shocked to learn two of his old friends from school were among six survivors of a horrible Saturday morning accident at the Canada Olympic Park bobsled track that took the lives of twin brothers.

• Calgary bobsled victims' family opens up about loss of twins
• Calgary bobsled track accident kills twin brothers, injures 6 other teens

"It was crushing honestly," Soriano told CBC News Sunday.

"The school that we went to, it's like a family. It's a really small school. Everyone knows each other."

Soriano graduated from Heritage Christian Academy in 2012, where he met Mark Lyons and Caleb Hettinga.

He coached Lyons in basketball, played the game with Hettinga and considers both friends.

"I kind of had to teach him the basics (of basketball)," Soriano said of Lyons.

"He just had a desire to learn. He was a very coachable guy."

Soriano says he often played one-on-one with Hettinga who "actually became a really, really good basketball player, probably better than I am to be honest."

He says the whole bobsled track incident is tragic.

"I can only imagine what they are going through right now."

"Two of their friends died on the scene and then six others are seriously injured. I can't even imagine how they are feeling or what's going through their heads right now." Soriano said.

"I am just thankful that they are alive and still kicking."