The Springville-Griffith community is coming together in the midst of tragedy after a 7-year-old girl was hit and killed by a school bus. Rochelle Alleyne has more from Springville Elementary where grief counselors met with the community.
SPRINGVILLE, N.Y. -- The community is remembering a little girl who was hit and killed by a school bus Friday in the village of Springville. Alyssa Hearn, just 7 years old, was killed.
Two small memorials are now set up near the scene of the accident on West Main Street, and people continue leaving stuffed animals, cards and even their prayers.
School counselors held several sessions from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Saturday to try and help people make sense of what's happened. But in the midst of their grief, the community has also seen a truly amazing outpouring of support.
"It was so nice to see the administration and the teachers," said Salem Lutheran Church Pastor Eric Goodwin. "It was great to see."
On top of that, someone set up a GoFundMe page for the family shortly after the incident happened Friday afternoon, and in less than 24 hours it raised more than $26,000, which far exceeds its original goal of $10,000.
One woman summed the generosity up the best saying "out here we're family."
"She was important, everyone is. She was an innocent child and we're family everyone in this town is family and it's such a tragedy. God must have needed an angel,” said Heidi Schwartz, a Springville resident.
The Erie County Sheriff's Department is still investigating, but Alyssa was somehow hit by the school bus after she got off of it Friday. It happened just before 4 p.m. near the intersection of West Main Street and North Buffalo Street.
Mercy Flight took the little girl to Bertran-Chafee Hospital where she later died.
No other children were hurt in this accident, there's still no word on the condition of the bus driver.
The school superintendent says as of now classes aren't canceled on Monday, but it won't be a normal school day. She says Saturday at some time; she'll be sharing a message with families on ways they prepare to put their kids back on school buses Monday morning.