A GoFundMe campaign has raised more than $15,000 to help cover funeral costs for Christopher Williams, a 15-year-old special needs student who was struck and killed by a vehicle on the Southern State Parkway Thursday afternoon after he reportedly wandering away from school on Thursday.
The fundraising page, titled “On What Should Have Been a Normal School Day Our World Was,” has received donations from 221 contributors, as the family seeks financial assistance to lay Christopher to rest. The campaign states that his mother does not have the funds to cover the funeral expenses.
Christopher, a student from Saint Albans, Queens, who had autism, had gone missing from the Martin de Porres School for Exceptional Children in Elmont before the fatal incident occurred about 1:15 p.m. near Exit 13 in Valley Stream, New York State police said. The special needs school is located less than a mile from where Christopher was struck and killed.
The boy’s family learned of his disappearance when the school called his mother asking where he was, his older sister Danecia Lewis said on the GoFundMe page. Son, a detective called to ask Christopher’s mother to identify his body.
State police said the child was struck while walking on the highway. He was taken to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
The Southern State Parkway was partially shut down for several hours as police investigated the scene. Known for high-speed traffic and frequent accidents, the highway is not designed for pedestrian use.
News 12 Long Island reported that attempts to contact the Martin de Porres School for comment have not been returned.
The circumstances surrounding how the teenager ended up on the parkway remain under investigation.
“Any support—whether through donations, sharing this page, or keeping our family in your prayers—means more than words can ever express,” Lewis stated on the GoFundMe page. She added that the family wants to “lay him to rest peacefully” and “give him the goodbye he deserves.”
Top photos: GoFundMe
