'His legacy will keep going': Beloved Camden County high school counselor killed in tragic accident

SOMERDALE, N.J. - A South Jersey community is grieving after a beloved school counselor and coach was killed in a tragic crash. 

William Scully, 49, was known as a husband, father, Sterling High School counselor and coach. He was killed Tuesday night. New Jersey State Police say Scully was driving on I-295, in Mount Laurel, when he pulled over in the right shoulder. He exited his car and was struck by a 19-year-old driver whose vehicle crossed into the shoulder of the road.

Sterling High School junior, Laurel Conway, shared her thoughts on the esteemed counselor, "He put everybody else before himself. His family, his team, his students."

Conway and classmate Alea Herman say Scully was their always-uplifting varsity volleyball coach who led them to a division title this season. Conway says she was with him the night of the crash. He had driven to central Jersey to watch her and other Sterling athletes play in an All-Star match. The accident happened later that night.

"It’s really hard on the team. First day we came back to school was really hard and none of us really had words to express how we felt," Herman explained.

Scully’s impact extends beyond Stratford, N.J. Thursday night, athletes in the Deptford Soccer Association’s Premier League, wearing black bands to honor Coach Scully, a man Mike Bonanno says is responsible for building the program to what it is today.

"He was the heart and soul of the team. I may have been the coach, but he was the heart and soul of the team," Bonanno said. "Everyone who has known Bill or has met Bill, they’ll know they met one of the greatest guys they’ll ever meet. His legacy will keep on going."