Garfield, N.J., community gathers to mourn 2 children who died in Passaic River

An emotional vigil was held in Garfield, New Jersey, on Thursday to remember two children who died after being swept into the Passaic River.

Michael "Mikey" Klenk, 10, and Milian "Millie" Dula Thompson, 10, were playing on a boat ramp at Pulaski Park in Passaic on July 29, along with Michael's 11-year-old sister, when all three fell into the water and were swept away.

The 11-year-old was able to pull herself out, but Michael and Milian did not survive.

Shared grief now binds both families.

"He liked to play video games, like all kids," said Michael's mother, Natalie Kupinewicz. "He was very giving and humble. He loved life, and he loved to help others."

"I never thought in a million years that I would be burying my 10-year-old granddaughter," Milian's grandmother Yolanda Brooks said. "Hold on tight to your loved ones. Show them every day that it's not promised to anyone."

In the face of an unthinkable tragedy, the community in Garfield remains united.

"Our city has experienced one of the darkest, most heartbreaking moments that any city, any parent or any family can imagine," Garfield Mayor Everett E. Garnto Jr. said.

"They will be missed more than words can ever express," Lodi Mayor Scott A. Luna said.

While this loss leaves a silence that words can never fill, farewell messages adorned a growing memorial for both Mikey and Millie, where tributes of light were offered to them.

A GoFundMe set up to help both families pay for funeral expenses and other costs has already raised nearly $50,000.

There are also now safety measures being proposed along the river to prevent future tragedies.