WINDSOR, Colo. -- More than a hundred people, mostly strangers, came together in Windsor to remember the life of the 8-year-old boy who was killed after he was run over by a float during the Windsor Harvest Festival Parade on Monday.
“It’s just a small town and people really care about each other and you feel it,” Windsor resident Susan Gariepy said.
Brycen Zerby was remembered as a red-haired, football-loving kid who smiled all the time.
“Tons of passion for absolutely everything. He couldn’t not talk to anyone he was nearby,” Generations Church pastor Eric Ebbinghaus said.
Ebbinghaus spoke to the crowd at the vigil, thanking the community for their love, support, and generosity towards the family during their difficult time.
“There’s no way to accurately express the amount of gratitude when this many people come together and lift you up,” he told Denver7. You can watch the full vigil in the video below:
Generations Church is where the family congregates. It’s also the church whose float that was involved in the incident. The pastor addressed what happened for the first time Wednesday to Denver7’s Jason Gruenauer:
“We would say that we’re sorry that it happened. That it’s something that we even hoped to take precautions against and had safety talks. But sometimes, unfortunate things out of our control happen. And to the Zerby family, to the families of those that were volunteering with us and participating, and to those affected by it, we’re sorry. Our prayers are with you as well,” Ebbinghaus said.
Funeral services are also now set for Friday afternoon. The boy’s memorial services will be held at 3 p.m. on Friday at Generations Church, located at 3600 W. 22nd St. in Greeley, with a brief reception to follow. A brief graveside service will be held the next day in Canon City.
The church says Brycen was such a big Denver Broncos fan, they’re asking anyone who attends to wear blue and orange in his honor.
A GoFundMe page set up by Clear Water Products, where Brycen’s father Jimmy works, had already brought in more than $71,000 as of Wednesday evening—nearly triple the $25,000 goal. The church is asking anyone who wishes to support the family to donate to the fundraiser.
