Gloucester County community rallies around family who lost 7-year-old son in tragic accident: "It's heartbreaking"
Stuffed animals were lined up on the sidewalk Monday to remember a 7-year-old boy who was hit and killed by a school bus in Gloucester County, New Jersey.
Neighbors said it happened as the boy was getting off the bus after school near Bennet Street and Ashton Drive in Gibbstown.
The community is heartbroken and doing what they can to rally around the family.
"I can see his little smile now. Cute kid, sweet kid, and you ask yourself why? It's heartbreaking," said Elissa Darrow, who is the director of Angels Community Outreach in Pitman.
Darrow said she has worked with the family and got to know them over the years and wanted to help.
"It just broke my heart because these just aren't clients to us; they become family. You see the kids grow up and they become your kids," she said. "On Halloween, he came to pick out a Halloween costume and back to school, he came to pick out school supplies and his backpack. It's hard to look back at the pictures and know you will not see him at the next event."
Darrow organized a donation drive. She put a message out to the community asking for gift cards and says the support so far has been amazing and she's still accepting any help. There's also an online fundraiser.
"I am sure the family is going through this horrible tragedy, but I think they feel the love and that the most important," Darrow said.
Angels Community Outreach said they are grateful for any help for the family. They say the money and gift cards will help them for weeks to come. Any donation will help.
The Greenwich Township School District said counselors and therapy dogs were at the schools to help the staff and students.
As the community leans on one another, Darrow has a message: "We just need to come together and just give each other a lot of love. Hug your loved ones and be a good human."