POULSBO — Feb. 21, 2005 brought Shawn Tyson news no parent wants to hear. Her 17-year-old son Miles Pendergraft was killed in a car accident on Bond Road.

Now a year later, Tyson and her family will gather with the legions of people across the North End affected by his life Wednesday to share their favorite memories and how their lives have changed since his death.

The gathering is simply dubbed “Remembering Miles” and will be at 7 p.m. Feb. 22 at the fellowship hall behind Christ Memorial Church in Poulsbo.

“Everywhere I go, people are always sharing stories about Miles and how he touched their lives,” Tyson said. “He knew a lot of folks in the community.”

Pendergraft was not only a stellar athlete at North Kitsap High School, but was involved in Future Farmers of America and a myriad of other organizations.

Through the Miles Pendergraft Memorial Fund, which was established at Kitsap Bank after his death, Tyson said the family has given more than $4,000 to the organizations he was involved in.

“We gave $2,000 for scholarships to help kids go to college and we also used the fund to help a kid come home from college,” she said.

The NKHS FFA chapter also benefited as the family helped with the construction of a new feed barn. The Little Big Dogs wrestling club was able to purchase new uniforms through the fund as well, Tyson said.

North Kitsap High School teacher Chris Franklin said the school still feels Miles’ presence, especially since it’s wrestling season.

“The state wrestling tournament (last year) was the last place a lot of kids saw him, so it’s going to be hard for them,” Franklin said.

That hurt is part of the grieving process and Miles had a tremendous impact on all of the students at NKHS, Franklin said.

“It’s the underdogs and people that other people looked down on that Miles always tried to treat like they were a person and there was no judgment from him,” Tyson recalled.

A classic example of this came from a girl who had been pushed down some stairs at Kingston Junior High School and spat was upon by other students, she said.

“Miles went down the stairs, picked up her and walked her to class,” she said. “Even in high school he made it a point to say ‘hi’ to her when he saw her in the hall.”

When the NKHS track team couldn’t afford to hire a pole vault coach, Miles volunteered to take on that role and through his efforts and her hard work Chelsey Pruitt made it to state last year, Tyson said.

As she takes time to reflect on the days since her son’s death, Tyson admits it has been a hard year.

“We have a very good faith and the only way we’ve made it is because our faith has gone up not down,” she said.

Instead of being bitter about his death, Tyson said her family has found an abundance of joy through its faith.

“We have more joy today than when Miles was here and it’s because of Miles,” she said, noting that through the year his spirit has been felt throughout the community.

Copies of a video that was shown at Miles’ funeral, “Miles’ Movie,” will be available with proceeds benefitting the Miles Pendergraft Memorial Fund.

Participants are encouraged to bring desserts. Drinks and snacks will be provided.