The 9-year-old Florida boy who died after allegedly crawling under a school bus to retrieve a soccer ball was a cancer survivor who had “been through a lot” in his short life, his family revealed during a vigil. with candles on Wednesday.
A group of about 100 family and community members gathered outside the east Orlando apartment building where Elyas Marshall-Rodriguez was hit by his school bus moments after being dropped off Tuesday afternoon.
Trenae Gayle, the boy’s cousin, said the 9-year-old had been in remission after being diagnosed with leukemia when he was two years old, according to The Orlando Sentinel.
“He had already been through a lot in his life, so for this to happen is like a spine lodged in our hearts,” Gayle said.
Gayle described the young man as a compassionate and cheerful boy.
Elyas Marshall-Rodriguez, a 9-year-old childhood cancer survivor, was killed by a school bus on Tuesday. Courtesy of the Marshall-Rodriguez family
“He was one of those kids you couldn’t be sad about,” the cousin told the newspaper.
“He was going to pick you up. He was very protective of his brothers and sisters. He adored his mother; Every morning he woke her up. “He made them both coffee, sometimes hot chocolate,” she said.
Marshall-Rodriguez’s aunt had told Fox 35 Orlando on Wednesday that the boy had hidden under the school bus to grab a soccer ball, but Gayle allegedly said at the vigil that no family members had witnessed that. . She said Elyas was an avid youth football player and dreamed of playing in the NFL when he grew up.
Elyas attended third grade at nearby Lawton Childes Elementary School, where he had many friends. He was also well known and loved in his community.
“He loved being around people. “He loved being outdoors,” Gayle said. “He was very well known in the area. Many parents loved him and allowed him to come.”
“We can already feel that change at home. It will be very difficult. “We just have to take it day by day,” the grieving cousin reportedly added.
Elyas was beaten after crawling under the school bus to retrieve a dropped soccer ball, according to his aunt. WOFL
Shortly before 4 p.m. Tuesday, Elyas exited his school bus in the Waterford East Apartments parking lot, the last student to be dropped off that day, the Florida Highway Patrol said.
But moments later, the third-grade boy ran back to the vehicle and crawled under it, unbeknownst to the 54-year-old bus driver, who put the bus in motion, causing the rear tire to hit the boy. and killed him, authorities said.
There were no other children on the bus at the time and the veteran driver remained at the scene to be interviewed by police.
Elyas is survived by his mother and two brothers, one of whom has autism and is legally blind, according to the description of a GoFundMe campaign launched by Gayle to help pay for her cousin’s funeral and the family’s living expenses.
As of Thursday, more than $17,000 has been raised.
“Your loss is truly unbearable and unworthy,” the cousin wrote. “My aunt will never be the same after this tragedy.”
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Source: vtt.edu.vn