More than 100 gather to mourn following deadly crash
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — As children fight to survive and a deadly crash claimed the life of their driver, a community is hoping their prayers will bring upon a miracle to save them.
More than 100 people gathered for a vigil tonight at Glendale Seventh Day Adventist Church, right next to the Indianapolis Junior Academy. The principal for the school, Norris Ncube, was driving the SUV filled with five children.
Investigators said they were in their way to school when another SUV hit them. Ncube died at the scene. All five children were transported to the hospital. One of them, Malia Sizba, died from her injuries.
Tuesday’s vigil was less than 12 hours after the incident that drastically changed the lives of three families and touched dozens more.
“We are a community in mourning today,” said one of the speakers at the vigil.
A community stricken with grief for a reason some can’t comprehend.
“This makes no sense,” the man said as another person stood by his side consoling him.
With their hands clenched in prayer, some with tears in their eyes, family and friends of the Indianapolis Junior Academy called onto a higher power for help.
“Our gracious heavenly father, it is hard for us to take in what has happened here today,” said one pastor.
Captain Mike Pruitt of the Wayne Township Fire Department didn’t just take it in, he was one of the first responders at the scene Tuesday morning. He said his crew worked feverishly to save the victims, especially knowing several of them were children.
“Our grief cannot even begin to match the grief that the family and friends of those individuals involved in this accident are going through today,” said Pruitt. “Our thoughts and prayers are with them totally.”
They were with them this afternoon as assistant teacher Toccara Bumphus did her best to comfort the children at the school.
“This is going to be an up and down emotional next couple days, maybe next couple weeks. So we’re just asking the community and everyone to just kind of be in prayer,” she said.
It’s what the pastors provided at the vigil as they gathered around a mother of one of the children hurt in the crash. They wanted to bring her strength during a time when her heart and the hearts of many are weak.
“Father bless us, do not abandon us during this difficult time,” the pastor prayed.
There will be another vigil at Glendale Seventh Day Adventist Church Wednesday at 7 p.m. We’re told will also be more school staff on hand for that ceremony.
Like Tuesday’s vigil, it will be open to the public.