Heartbreaking.
Hundreds of people yesterday attended a vigil to pay their respects for a 12 year old boy who sadly died after a car he was driving hit a lorry on Friday.
Named as local Newcastle West boy Wiktor Chojecki, he passed away at round 2am on Friday after the car collided with a lorry at Rineroe, outside Adare village.
Speaking at the vigil in Newcastle West, his secondary school principal Sean Lane said he was a popular and friendly boy, and the vigil reflected this.
Colourful balloons were released at the same time into the sky as around 300 people made an appearance at the town square.
A message on one balloon read: “For a little angel, dearly loved…”
Local parent Jennifer McGroarty, who’s daughter was in school with Wiktor, said the town was devastated over his death.
She told BreakingNews.ie: “I think it is nice that he has a good turnout here today, the craythur, and you think if it can happen to his family then it can happen to any of us. They are such lovely people, nice, hard-working people, and that’s why we are all in such shock.
“Some people might not have known Wiktor, but again, the Polish community is a massive community here, so we all know someone that will know the family, and there is just a sadness, a heaviness among everyone, with a lump in our throats and in the pit of our stomach.
“He was a lovely chap, a lovely little chap, even my youngest daughter said that whenever he talked to her he was kind.”
Gardaí are currently investigating the circumstances that led to the boy getting access to his family’s Nissan Qashqai and the moments leading up to the crash.
A shrine has since been put up in Limerick to pay tribute to Wiktor, with floral arrangements lined up along the N21 when the accident happened, which is around 23km from his home.
Gardaí confirmed that the boy was the only person in the car and the lorry driver was uninjured.
Gardaí are also hoping to examine electronic devices to find evidence of why the boy was driving the car this early in the morning.
