The Revere school community is reeling from grief after losing two incoming seventh-grade students in as many weeks.
On Wednesday, the community learned of the tragic death of Brianna Botosan, 12, who was killed Tuesday in a car crash in Indiana.
She and her older brother Nathan, 15, who is in critical condition, were on their way home from a vacation with family friends.
Brianna’s loss came on the heels of the death of another 12-year-old, Carson Higgins, who lost his nine-year battle with neuroblastoma, a rare childhood cancer of the nervous system, on Aug. 11.
Calling hours for Carson are noon to 4 p.m. Saturday at Grace Church, 565 S. Cleveland-Massillon Road, Fairlawn.
As parents prepare to send their children back to school Wednesday in the Revere school district, they are doing what they can to help the youths cope with their fear and grief and looking for ways to reach out to the families of Carson and Brianna.
To that end, a prayer chain has been started for the Botosan family and the other family involved in the crash — the Graf family of Copley Township. (Victor Graf, father in the family. was identified in a church blog as a minister at the Apostolic Christian Church of America in Wadsworth) — and a GoFundMe account has been set up for the Botosans, who are also members of the local church.
Donations to the account (https://www.gofundme.com/2kj2w3g), set up by Annie Milovancev, had more than tripled its goal of $10,000 in 22 hours.
“People in the Revere community were asking what they could do to help, so we have banded together as a community, friends and family to support them in whatever way we can during this tragic time in their lives,” Milovancev said. “Their faith is their stronghold right now. They trust that God is in full control. I am in awe of their faith and I am amazed at the outpouring of generosity from people who know and don’t know the Botosan family.”
Milovancev, who has a daughter in the same grade as Brianna and Carson, said that in addition to reaching out to the families, she and other parents are working to be supportive of their own children.
Don Lichi, a licensed psychologist and vice president of Akron-based Emerge Counseling Services, said the best thing parents can do is give their children space to talk and experience their emotions.
“They can express their emotions in a variety of ways, through writing, drawing, music, dance. But it is important to allow them to feel whatever they are feeling,” Lichi said. “It’s going to be very difficult at first, but parents need to be ready to listen, when their children want to talk. They don’t need to try to explain it, they need to be good listeners and just be present.”
Lichi offers the same advice to people reaching out to the families who have lost children — “Be present. Be good listeners. Allow people to express their grief. Reach out with things they need — notes, cards, meals, hugs.” He also suggested connecting with grief support groups or seeking counseling.
Counselors have been on hand at Revere schools since word arrived of Carson’s death. Superintendent Matthew Montgomery said that will continue.
“I have the highest level of confidence in our guidance counseling staff and their ability to help anyone who needs it,” Montgomery said. “We will continue to address the needs of our students. Counseling is always available. Our counselors will be here on Monday.”
News reports and information provided on the Newsletter Log of the Indianapolis Apostolic Christian Church in Lacrosse, Ind., indicate that Brianna was killed in a one-vehicle crash in Cass County, near Logansport. Six others, including her brother; Graf, his wife and their three children were injured in the crash. The Grafs’ 16-year-old son, Orin, is also reported to be in critical condition.
Colette Jenkins can be reached at 330-996-3731 or cjenkins@thebeaconjournal.com. She can be followed at www.twitter.com/ColetteMJenkins.