Tributes are pouring in for a Port Hope-area boy who was struck and killed by a vehicle on Wednesday morning as his sister suffered critical injuries.
In a post on its website, the Municipality of Port Hope says it is grieving the tragic loss of resident Cormac Kerin and extending condolences to the Kerin family as well as Cormac’s friends, classmates and peers and all those impacted by the incident.
The flag at Port Hope Town Hall has been lowered to half-staff to honour Cormac.
“A shocking event of this nature impacts the whole community, as we try to come to terms with this profound loss,” stated Mayor Bob Sanderson. “May we lend our support to the Kerin family in any way that we can, during this most difficult time.”
Northumberland OPP say the siblings were struck by a vehicle around 8 a.m. on Line 7 near the hamlet of Campbellcroft, approximately 15 kilometres north of the town of Port Hope.
The 12-year-old boy was pronounced dead at the scene, while his 10-year-old sister sustained critical injuries and was airlifted from the scene by an Ornge air ambulance.
OPP have not provided any details on the incident, only noting that it involved a car and that a school bus carrying students was on the hilly road at the time. The cause of the collision remains under investigation.
“Our thoughts are also with Shea Kerin, Cormac’s sister, who remains in hospital as a result of the accident,” the municipality stated. “Special thanks to all of the first responders, including firefighters from Stations 2 and 3, as well as staff in our Works and Engineering Department, who responded to the accident scene.”
The father of the children — Brendan Kerin — made a public Facebook post at 7:19 a.m. Thursday, sharing “the unthinkable for any parent” regarding the tragedy. At the time he said Shea was “fighting for her life” at SickKids Hospital in Toronto.
Kerin described his son as the “most beautiful boy a parent could wish for.”
“The thing to know about Cormac was how much he cared about others,” he wrote. “He loved his school, teachers, classmates, friends and teammates. Please know how much he loved you.”
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Kerin, on behalf of his family, said the community response and support have been “overwhelming.”
“Shea is alive because of the first responders’ speedy and professional actions,” he wrote. “We are grateful to the Cobourg OPP, the Northumberland Hills Hospital, and the Trauma team at Sick Kids have given our family a sliver of hope.
Flags at schools under the Peterborough Victoria Northumberland Catholic District School Board were flown at half-staff this week in memory of Cormac.
Both siblings attended St. Anthony Catholic Elementary in Port Hope, according to principal Karen McCormack. She issued a statement and letter expressing condolences for the family and friends.
The school board’s crisis teams are at the school this week to support students and staff with the tragedy.
Cobourg-based Northumberland Minor Hockey on its website posted a message about the loss of Cormac, who was a Nighthawks player.
“This loss will be felt especially hard by his teammates and coaches, past and present,” the statement reads. “We are thinking of you all while you face the challenges and sadness that a tragedy like this brings.”
Kerin also asked readers to keep the bus driver and “innocent” children on the bus in their thoughts and prayers.
“It has been said that peace passes all understanding,” he said. “Today, our family begins a long and brutal journey to find out what that means.”
Friends of the Kerins established a bank account to support the family
“We set it up yesterday (Thursday) with the help of RBC in Port Hope,” said an organizer Katherine Watton on Friday. “We posted the email address online and when I checked this morning, we were at about $18,000 and by noon we were at $20,000.”
Donations can be made via email: kerinfamily2020@hotmail.
“All we have done is set up an account and an email address, the community has done everything else,” said Watton. “They’ve done everything else. It’s one of our favourite things about living in this town — that the community rallies around everybody when there’s a need for it. Everyone steps up and just does what we need to do.”
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