NORTON: Kelsey Hosey had no idea that when she said goodbye to her classmate at the end of the school day on Wednesday, it would be their final goodbye.
“He was an awesome person. Very funny, very social,” said Kelsey, 15. “I just talked to him as we were walking out of school. I was heading to volleyball practice and he was heading home. The last thing he said to me was ‘Bye.’ ”
Less than 30 minutes later, Kelsey discovered that the 16-year-old boy had been struck and killed by a school bus in a school driveway that intersects Greenwich Road, near Norton Cornerstone Elementary School.
By 6 p.m., Kelsey was among a half-dozen girls who gathered at the chain–link fence along Cleveland-Massillon Road in front of the football field to design a tribute to the fallen student.
The girls, mostly varsity volleyball players and a cheerleader, used white Styrofoam cups to write “RIP ...” and form a heart.
“We lost someone who we care about. In Norton, everybody’s a family member,” said Ashley Tilly, 16, a junior. “Everyone was his friend.”
“This is something we could do to show that we care,” said Abbey Murawski, 17, a junior. “He was such a friendly person. He was really funny and he was nice to everybody.”
Abbey’s mother, Melinda, accompanied the girls as they worked on the tribute. She said it was a way for them to do something meaningful. She said that she is sure it will take time for the Norton community to work through its grief.
“That bus driver is one of the most caring people I know. I can’t imagine what she is going through — it wasn’t her fault. It was a tragic accident and I know she is devastated,” Melinda Murawski said. “She is all about the kids and their safety. This whole thing is just so heartbreaking.”
Police had not released details of the accident Wednesday night, but students reported that witnesses saw the boy trip and fall off the RipStik — a two-wheel skateboard — he was riding and land under the bus. The bus was reportedly filled with middle school students.
“One of our students was fatally injured in a traffic accident,” said Norton Superintendent David Dunn, fighting back tears. “Counselors will be available at all of our buildings tomorrow and any parents who feel they need to keep their students home can do so, as an excused absence.”
Counselors were also available Wednesday night at the high school, where the accident victim was a sophomore.
The Summit County Medical Examiner’s Office was called to the 3200 block of Greenwich Road about 3 p.m. to investigate a fatal crash, according to Chief Medical Investigator Gary Guenther.
The victim’s name had not been officially released, pending identification and notification of relatives. An autopsy is scheduled Thursday.
“I was thinking back to math class today — he was in my class,” Kelsey said. “The teacher was going around the room and we were supposed to share something that was true about ourselves and something that wasn’t true and the teacher was going to guess what was true.
“He said his favorite color is green and that he rides a RipStik. The teacher said, ‘You don’t ride a RipStik!’ And he said, ‘Yes. I do.’ He rode that to school every day. I’m going to miss him.”
Colette Jenkins can be reached at 330-996-3731 or cjenkins@thebeaconjournal.com. She can be followed at www.twitter.com/ColetteMJenkins.