Friends, family, and neighbors gathered in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, on Tuesday to mourn a 12-year-old girl who was killed in a scooter accident over the weekend.
Thousands gathered at Ridley Park Middle School to mourn Abigail Gillon, a sixth-grade student died in an Aston scooter accident on Saturday.
On Saturday, Abigail and her best friend, 11-year-old Isabella Jones, crashed into a curb while riding an electric scooter. They were later hit by a car.
It happened on Lehr Boulevard, near Concord Road, where a flower and balloon monument still sits. The two girls were transported to the hospital. Abby, as she is known, died from her injuries.
Isabella remains hospitalized.
Abby’s next-door neighbor spoke about her friend, who enjoyed cheering, swimming, and spending time with her friends and family.
“Whether she was cheering on her team or gliding through the water, she did it with all her heart,” neighbor Brianna Newmiller stated. “She was extremely concerned for her family, friends, classmates, and community. She was the kind of person who spoke up for others, made you feel seen, and offered joy simply by being herself.”
Abby had been on life support since her injury on Saturday. Before she died, she made one last gift by donating her organs to the Gift of Life.
“Abigail took her Hero Walk through the hallways of Dupont Hospital this morning. “She was able to save the life of another 12-year-old girl by donating her liver, pancreas, and both kidneys,” Newmiller told the crowd.
Before the ceremony, Abby’s mother signed a love balloon for her daughter, which she released into the sky with a sea of others as an homage to a young life taken too soon.
“Today, when we release these balloons, we do so with heavy hearts, but also full ones, full of the love she gave us, the memories she gave us, and the kinship we all share because we knew her. “Abigail, we miss you, love you, and will never forget you,” Newmiller added. “You will always be a part of us.”