The family of a 5-year-old boy who was killed by a school bus this week said they won’t be celebrating Christmas this year after suffering such a tragedy.
“I took down all the Christmas ornaments. I took the Christmas tree down. It’s just, we couldn’t do it mentally,” Jason Small, the grandfather of 5-year-old Simon Gonzalez, said.
Simon, a kindergartner, was struck and killed by a school bus in Maine on Tuesday. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Simon Gonzalez is pictured with his grandfather Jason Small.(WMTW, Jason Small via CNN Newsource)
Small described Simon as someone who absolutely loved life and all it had to offer — camping, snowmobiling, ice fishing and even mowing the lawn.
“He was a lifesaver that I needed from destroying myself. He was my sidekick,” Small said.
The family is now struggling with how to say goodbye to Simon.
“I tried. Tried with all my heart to protect that little boy,” Small said.
The Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office said the crash happened less than half a mile from Edna Libby Elementary School in Standish, which is about 30 minutes west of Portland. The school is in the Bonny Eagle School District.
The sheriff’s office told WMTW that only one student was on the bus at the time of the crash. That student is Simon’s half-brother, Cumberland County Sheriff Kevin Joyce said.
The sheriff’s office said the bus driver was a 64-year-old woman, but said there are no charges pending.
The Bonny Eagle School District superintendent said the driver has been placed on administrative leave during the investigation, which is standard protocol.
Officials are still investigating. Reconstruction of the crash may take several days to determine exactly what happened, WMTW reported.
No matter the outcome, Simon’s grandfather is reminding parents and grandparents to cherish the time they have with their children.
“Grab your children, hug them a little tighter,” Small said. “Kiss them goodnight, and every morning you wake them up and let them know you love them. Because you just do not know when that time’s not going to come back.”
In the face of tragedy, Simon’s loved ones are pushing for change. They don’t want another family to lose their child in a school bus accident.
“Let’s make his life mean something by saving another little kid. And making sure that they get to go home to their family for Christmas,” Small said.
The family is now pushing for a bill that would make buses safer.
Family friend Alishia Sessions said she hopes Simon’s death will spark change nationwide.
“There needs to be a change not just in Maine, but the whole United States,” Sessions said. “I’m hoping we can get it passed in Maine to create stricter requirements for buses. We need to do the work to make sure they are safe.”
