News 12 at 11o'clock, September 29, 2009

EVANS, Ga.---His Facebook page has hundreds of messages--messages he will never get. On Tuesday students at a Columbia County high school learned a classmate is dead after collapsing while running on the school track.

Tonight his friends remembered him as doctors search for answers as to what happened.

Scott Gillen was a Senior at Greenbrier High School. He was just 17 years old. His father found his body last night, and as expected, it was a tough day at school today for his friends.

"Scott was a great inspiration to my family. He was like my second son," said Connie Tuli. "There could be no greater example than him. He brings joy to everybody's life."

"It's such a shock and it came so suddenly with no warning at all, " said Alex Ballasiotes.

Joe Aslaner said, "I went to school this morning and it came over the announcement. It was just huge shock, I was shocked all day."

Gillen was found lying on the track at Greenbrier High School. He had been running and working out while at the school.

He was a member of the Boy Scouts and was training for a badge.

"He was a fine quality young man, the ideal model scout," said Jeff Schwab, Executive Scout with the Georgia Carolina Council of Boys Scouts. Schwab says Gillen had been training for the personal fitness badge.

"It is my understanding that Scott was working towards his personal fitness merit badge, which was one of the final merit badges he needed to earn to become an Eagle Scout's highest rank when the accident happened," said Schwab.

"What scouting teaches is the physical aspect of it. Unfortunately, it appears as though Scott was in the process of doing some of that training when his accident occurred," Schwab said.

The Columbia County Coroner's office has conducted an autopsy. According to the coroner's office, Gillen had a medical history of asthma, but it is unknown yet if that contributed to his death. The final results for the autopsy can take up to six weeks.

School officials said on Tuesday afternoon that counselors will be available at the school to help.

Gillen's friends say they want to remember him the way he was - as a cheerful, happy young man who never met a stranger.

"That's the biggest thing about him, he was kind to everybody," said Bryan Armstrong.

"He's always making you laugh, he's just full of spirit and energetic," said Andrea Vonplinsky.

"Scott was just one of the nicest kids that' I've ever met, and he was nice to everybody, like no matter who they are or who they were friends with," added another friend.

"We all love him and we will always have him with us," said Connie Tuli.