Community mourning 7-year-old killed in crash
Community members are grieving the loss of a 7-year-old boy who died when he was hit by a car in Greene County, and working on ways to aid his family.
Wilson Churilla, a student at Bobtown Elementary School, was walking across Route 88 in Monongahela Township on Saturday afternoon when he was hit by an SUV driven by Lewis Gipson, 92, of Rices Landing, police said. The crash happened around 4 p.m., and Churilla died about two hours later, officials said.
Rich Pekar, superintendent of Southeastern Greene School District, said additional counselors and support staff will be brought in to help students and staff process their grief.
Tributes on social media recalled Churilla’s involvement in Cub Scouts and youth sports.
“He was a great kid, and he was involved in a lot of activities, and it’s just tragic,” Pekar said. “It’s going to be hard on the family, and it’s going to be hard on our whole school community.”
Pekar also encouraged families to visit the district’s website at segsd.org for resources on dealing with grief and finding counseling supports and services in the area.
Pekar said a memorial or observance for students honoring Churilla is in the early planning stages. Right now, he said, the main focus is on grieving, and respecting the family’s privacy.
“The whole community is working together to support the family and planning things to support the family and honor the students, but it’s still a little bit early for that,” he said.
Community members are working to help the Churilla family, whether through monetary assistance or the comfort of a home-cooked meal.
A fundraiser at Meal Train had raised more than $22,000 for the Churillas as of Monday morning, shattering the $2,500 goal. Through the page, several volunteers had also signed up to make meals for the family.
“We come together in deep grief for a family whose world has been forever changed,” organizer Desiree Diven wrote on the page. “No words can ease the pain of losing a child. No gesture can fill the space left behind. But what we can do — what we must do — is surround this family with love, strength, and support.”
Weeping Willow Treasures in Greensboro is also organizing donations for items to be raffled off at the Greensboro Fire Department’s Friday fish fries during Lent. The giveaway will take place on Good Friday.
To donate to the Meal Train fundraiser, go to mealtrain.com/trains/qwvn7r. People interested in contributing to the Weeping Willow auction can go to their Facebook page at https://bit.ly/4tSVANt for additional contacts or text (724)231-7837.