Firefighter responder learns crash victim is son

Carter Peterson (left) with his family

A firefighter who discovered his 16-year-old son was the victim of a fatal car crash when he responded to a call will lay his son to rest later.

The funeral of Carter Peterson is being held almost a week after he died near Borup, Minnesota, on Sunday night.

His father, Randy Peterson, who is a volunteer firefighter, said he "dropped to his knees" when he realised his son was in the burning car.

Police say alcohol was detected in the other driver's system.

Mr Peterson said he had been unable to contact his son, who was returning home after dropping off his girlfriend, when he raced to the scene.

"Seeing the car on fire and the rims, I knew," the father of five told the Minneapolis Star Tribune newspaper on Thursday. "I dropped to my knees. I was a mess. Another member of the crew just held me."

"Carter was probably the most cautious driver - two hands on the wheel, and he never sped," he said, adding: "He did nothing wrong."

The other driver, a 20-year-old North Dakota man, was not seriously hurt.

Carter played American football, basketball, and track and field at his local high school in Ada, Minnesota.

Ahead of a match last Wednesday against a Native American school, the rival players performed a drum chant for the family and presented them with wild rice, a symbol of hope.

Carter's football team, the Cougars, held a moment of silence and presented the family with a team jersey bearing Carter's team number - 63.

"The community support has been outstanding," Mr Peterson said.

"That is one thing about small towns. They definitely rally together."