Folkestone 'hit and run' funeral fundraiser for boy, 7, smashes £10,000 target
The heartbroken family and friends of a young boy killed in an alleged hit and run have said they “feel it in their hearts” after the fundraiser to pay for his funeral reached nearly £17,000 just days after it was set up.
Seven-year-old William Brown was fetching his football when he was fatally struck by a car in Sandgate, near Folkestone on Wednesday evening (December 6). The youngster’s grieving family launched the GoFundMe on Saturday morning in the hopes of raising £10,000 to help “give him the send-off he truly deserves”. But the crowdfunding campaign has smashed that target after hitting £11,000 within eight hours.
The donations kept pouring in and around 24 hours after it was set up the total had reached nearly £17,000. Writing on the page, William’s mother Laura Brown said: “Thank you for all your support. We all feel it in our hearts. Whilst this tragedy is incomprehensible to us all, we need to do what William always did, see the positive.
The crowdfunding campaign raised thousands in just hours as donations poured in for William's heartbroken family to pay for the funeral (gofundme)“That positive is that we are so grateful for the seven glorious years we had with him. It was nothing but a privilege. Therefore, we ask that you help us in giving him the send-off he truly deserves. Please all share William's love and kindness, let's try and make planet Earth as joyous as his beautiful kind eyes saw it. Let's all take a moment to be kind to each other.”
William’s father had written to MP Damian Collins in the hope of ensuring the graveyard at the Church of St Mary and St Eanswyth, in Folkestone, can be his son’s final resting place. William Snr said his son went to St Eanswythe's school and found “peace” at the neighbouring site, where he would often go after classes. In a letter, he wrote: “After school every day it was a struggle to get him out of the graveyard, collecting conkers and picking wild garlic.
Kamala Harris and George Floyd's brother among hundreds at Tyre Nichols funeral
William's family are asking that he is buried in the churchyard of St Mary and St Eanswyth church, next door to his school, where he loved to search for conkers and pick wild garlic (Will Brown Snr / SWNS)“Our desire is to have William buried within the grounds. William loved digging holes and being a part of the earth. My son told me when he was digging that hole with me he felt safe underground. We need him where he wanted to be.” The grieving dad added: “I am really struggling, we all are. I cannot begin to explain the pain. I am trying to use the energy I have to sort my son the best send-off and burial he would have wanted.”
Mr Brown said he was happy to arrange everything himself. “I can arrange and pay for everything even down to the hole, I will dig it myself,” he added. “I am asking you to sort this out for me as a father. This would be William’s last wish. Please speak to whoever you need to and please make this happen.” William’s mum said the graveyard was his “favourite place”. She added: “It was a place he absolutely loved, close to his school… the children will walk past him every day and be with him, close to his heart.”
Police on the scene in Folkestone, Kent (KMG / SWNS)Folkestone and Hythe District Council, which owns the site, said no one has been buried there for many years, but it will look into the request and Mr Collins also said he has made “urgent inquiries”. Mr Brown said the local authority will give them an update on Monday (December 11).
Police officers said the fatal crash earlier this week involved two vehicles – a grey Peugeot van and a red Citroen car.The van is said to have left the scene in the direction of Hythe, before the arrival of the emergency services. Medics tried to resuscitate William for 40 minutes but were unable to save his life and he was pronounced dead at the scene. A man was arrested in Dymchurch on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving, causing death by careless driving, failing to stop at the scene of a collision and perverting the course of justice. He has now been released on bail until March 6.
William’s devastated dad, who had watched on helplessly during the CPR efforts, described his son as a “gentle” and “wonderful child”. He added: “He was so excited about Christmas. My boy was a kind and pure soul. There are no other words for it. He was liked by everybody – everybody loved him. He was just full of life, laughter, love. He was always smiling. He had so much energy and it was just infectious, the spirit that he brought.”
St Mary and St Eanswythe Church is inviting the public to sign a book of condolences at the site, and light a candle in memory of William for the next week during specific times. The remaining available hours are: 9am to 10am on Tuesday, 11am to 1pm Wednesday to Saturday and 9.30am to 10.30am on Sunday.
Read more similar news:
Comments:
comments powered by Disqus
