GOSHEN – Just hours before a candlelight vigil for two Goshen High School youths, who were killed in a car-truck accident Tuesday, one of the surviving victims, who was in critical condition, died late Wednesday afternoon.
Lucas O’Connor was the third back seat victim in the tragic crash involving their driver’s ed car and a tractor-trailer in the Town of Warwick.
Scores of students, parents, people, gathered to remember the young victims
An overwhelming number of local residents came to the vigil held for students Antonio Baglivo and Paul VanDoran. Students embraced each other and their families as clergy shared insights on how to cope with the loss of beloved persons.
Goshen Mayor Kyle Roddey said it was important for the community to come together and support one another.
“It’s a tragedy beyond words and tonight we’re coming together as a community to mourn and send our love and prayers to the families impacted,” Roddey said.
Neuhaus: “… we’re going to get through this …”
Orange County Executive Steven Neuhaus echoed the need for support. He said no one should be afraid to seek help coping if they need it, especially because this incident has affected the entire community.
“It’s going to be a long road,” said Neuhaus. “These are kids that have been woven into the community and you have three families that have lost a loved one and a fourth right now that has one in very serious condition, so, we have to keep that family in our prayers, as well as the three families that lost their loved ones. It’s just a total tragedy; it’s really rocked the foundation of our county but, we’re going to get through this by holding each other’s hands and working through it and leaning on each other.”
County and Goshen school officials urge anyone who is having issues coping with the tragedy to call the county hotline or, seek professional help; county mental health professionals are available to anyone who needs to talk to them.
