Iqaluit (Sep 29/03) - If they could throw their arms around him and save him from the hideous car wreck that took his life in August, they would. But they cannot.

The Kevin Dunphy memorial on the road to Apex. - Kathleen Lippa/NNSL photo

So with heavy hearts, friends of Kevin Dunphy, the 16-year-old Iqaluit teen who died in a car roll-over on the road to Apex Aug. 19, are building a fence in their shop class at Inukshuk high school.

Billy Kovic, 17, Nick Dunphy, 15 (Kevin's brother), Darren Illnik, 16, Kenny Merkosak, 16, and Alex Chouquette, 16, wanted something special to surround the memorial that was unveiled in Kevin's memory weeks ago.

Craig Dunphy, Kevin's father, calls what the friends are doing a labour of love.

"This was something they wanted to do," he said last Monday, standing in the high school's shop class as the boys sanded wood and slathered a light blue paint on the images of the cross.

"But it's not easy for them."

The boys were pallbearers at Kevin's funeral last month. They were as close as friends could be, said Craig.

"They were always together."

Just three weeks into their construction course at school, the boys are nearly finished the project. The school donated the wood.

Entrusted with perhaps the most significant project of their lives, the boys have worked carefully and steadily.

"A lot of people loved him," said Nick, talking about his brother.

News of the car accident shocked everyone who knew Kevin.

"I heard it over the radio first," Nick said softly, referring to his father's taxi cab radio.

"I heard there was a car crash and there were two people... my head started spinning."

Nick and his father arrived before the ambulance did. When he saw his brother, his heart sank. He could tell Kevin was in grave danger.

A friend who was riding in the car with Kevin was hospitalized, but expected to recover.

Still coming to terms with the loss of his big brother, Nick holds on tight to what his brother used to say.

"He always told me to keep my dreams," Nick said, a tear starting to stream down his cheek.

Kevin dreamed of becoming a police officer, Nick said, and he looked up to RCMP Const. Ben Williams.

At school, Kevin excelled in a lot of areas. He was a talented, well-rounded student who liked sports as well as music -- enjoying speed skating as well as playing trumpet in the school band.

Kevin was interviewed by News/North in May of this year. He was thrilled to be part of an ensemble that played via the Internet at a music festival in St. John's, Nfld.

"I've been playing the trumpet since Grade 10," Kevin told News/North. "It was pretty cool."

But in a move that his family says was characteristic of Kevin, the teen was quick to deflect attention away from himself in the short interview, mentioning fellow band mates who didn't make it that day and weren't part of the Internet show in Newfoundland. That was pure Kevin, his brother said.

"He thinks about others before he thinks of himself," said Nick, adding, "he was fun, and he made everybody laugh." Since Kevin's death, the community has been "unbelievable," Craig said, with all their support through phone calls and sympathy cards.

Feeling blue

Craig still gets chills when he tells the story of the paint colour now being used for the memorial fence.

"They picked it. They liked it right away," he said of the boys.

But they didn't know what the paint was called until much later.

The boys discovered it had a name, "and I kid you not," Craig said softly, "Sleeping Beauty." Craig didn't say more about this, standing in the shop, continuing to watch the boys work.

Pausing to just take in the positive energy coming from the shop, Craig said he will always remember his son's "off-beat sense of humour" and "his caring and gentle nature."

"It makes me sad he's gone," Nick said.

But just having a project like this to focus on makes a difference.

"It's respect for him," said Nick, "showing respect from the heart."