A 13-YEAR-OLD WEST VALLEY BOY WHO WAS RUN OVER BY A SCHOOL BUS IS SUPPORTED BY THE COMMUNITY

A 13-year-old West Valley boy who was struck by a school bus is battling for his life in the hospital. The horrible event that occurred last week inspired his closest friend to take action.

Theodore Van Duyne, who has known the victim, Ian, since first grade, has started a GoFundMe page to help his friend’s family through this difficult time and pay for the escalating medical bills.

Even though Van Duyne was living in Ohio at the time, he felt compelled to rally support for Ian. “I’ve known them for so long that they’re practically like family to me, so I just wanted to provide a hand as much as I could.

Thus, I felt obligated to assist them to the best of my ability, Van Duyne said to ABC15. After surpassing $1,000, the fundraising drive is growing as more people become aware of the boy’s condition.

On May 16, after school, Ian was crossing the street when the tragedy happened. There are still many unanswered questions regarding the tragedy’s circumstances, but police have reported that no one has been taken into custody and that preliminary investigations indicate the event was a genuine accident.

The outpouring of support from both friends and strangers while Ian is in the hospital represents a ray of hope for the family dealing with the challenges of recuperation and medical bills.

If you would like to help Ian get better, you can visit the GoFundMe page created in his honor. This is a work in progress; more details will be added as they become available.