L.I. Community Gathers To Mourn Deaths Of Mother, 7-Year-Old Son
MANORVILLE, N.Y. (CBS 2) -- There was a massive community outpouring on Long Island Tuesday for a mother and son killed in an unexplained crash. While the investigation continued, hundreds were grieving.
Candles, music and tears were present on a football field of grief in Manorville as people mourned the death of 30-year-old Keri Trinca and her 7-year-old son, Jason, who were killed in a crash.
"All the lives and all the hearts that they've touched, it's incredible," relative Dan Wottawa told CBS 2's Derricke Dennis.
So many at the vigil were fighting back tears. A grandmother, other relatives, classmates and teammates of Jason's were remembering his spirit and taking it with them through T-shirts exchanged for donations.
"Everybody's coming together for them, and doing their part and it's just -- thank you," said Danielle Chavez, who is Trinca's cousin and Jason's godmother.
On Saturday, when the crash happened both mom and son and the family's two smallest children, ages 2 and 4, were hit by an oncoming van. The youngest survived, but were critically injured. They are now being cared for by their dad. Jason, who won awards for go-kart racing, and his mother were killed.
"To think of losing a 7-year-old little boy, and his loving wonderful mother, in just a senseless inexplicable act," said Assistant Superintendent of Manorville Schools Chris Marzuk.
What may be the toughest part of this tragedy is the explanation -- explaining it to so many young people, friends, classmates, neighbors of the young victims -- who don't yet know how to grieve.
Next-door neighbor Michael Randazzo, like so many other parents, was struggling with what to say to the children and when.
"It's like your waiting for them to come home. It's almost not real, really," he said.
The crash is still under investigation, so far no one's been charged.
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