A nine-year-old boy who was killed while trying to retrieve a ball from under a school bus was a cancer survivor, his family says.
The boy, identified as Elyas Amyr Marshall-Rodriguez, lost his life after being struck by a school bus at Waterford East Apartments in Orange County.
Family members confirmed the identity of the victim, who was a Lawton Chiles Elementary student, according to reports from NBC affiliate WESH and ABC affiliate WZVN-TV.
The incident occurred on Tuesday when Marshall-Rodriguez exited the school bus at the apartment complex, attempting to retrieve a football and tragically ending up underneath the vehicle.
A GoFundMe page revealed that the young boy had battled cancer at an early age. "Elyas was a resilient and energy filled boy with a joy of life," the fundraising description stated. "He overcame Lymphoma (Leukemia) cancer which he was diagnosed at the young age of two years old. Despite this grueling journey he always had a smile on his face and had been in remission."
Trenae Gayle, the organizer of the online fundraiser and a cousin of the victim, shared that Marshall-Rodriguez had previously gone through the Make-A-Wish Foundation due to the severity of his cancer.
"He just got his port taken out last year," Gayle told WESH. "He had already been through a lot in his life."
Despite his challenging health journey, the nine-year-old harbored dreams of excelling in the world of professional sports. According to his cousin, he aspired to make it to the NBA or NFL one day.
At the time of writing, the fundraising page has gained over $27,000 from an intended target of $30,000.
Writing on the page, Gayle said: "He was loved throughout his community in Waterford East by his neighbors and friends. His loss is truly unbearable and undeserving. My aunt will never be the same and in the wake of this tragedy she also has two other children to care and provide for. "
She revealed that the money will be used to provide for the family.
She said: "The donations received will be used to cover the costs of Elyas’ home going services and for my Aunt, a single mother, to be able to manage living expenses, counseling and the well being of her family."
A vigil for Marshall-Rodriguez took place on Wednesday night, drawing over 100 people to mourn the young boy's untimely death, as reported by WESH and WZVN-TV.
Additionally, a memorial has been established outside the apartment complex where the tragic incident occurred, according to The Orlando Sentinel.
"We can already feel that shift in the home," Gayle expressed to the outlet. "It’s going to be very hard. We just have to take it day by day."
Our thoughts are with Marshall-Rodriguez's family during this difficult time.
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