Last Friday, a 12-year-old Turn of River Middle School student drowned in the channel that runs between Holly Pond and Long Island Sound. It was a horrific tragedy that struck as six boys played at the beach to celebrate the official start of Summer and end of school.
Identified as Rashad Gross, it has come to light that Gross' family could use some community assistance in their time of grief, and DOMUS and the Turn of River PTO are taking the lead to try and help.
The family will need approximately $12,000 for burial costs and to help cover their basic needs like electricity, food and the like for about a month while they take time to grieve and process their loss.
"I think the most important lesson we've learned in the last three years as a trauma-informed organization is that there's no greater example of trauma than losing your child, losing your big brother," said Garland Walton of DOMUS. "Especially for children, it can set them back behaviorally, socially and most importantly, educationally. We need to be there for them now."
The PTO is working on getting an online donation method up, but in the meantime, they're collecting funds for the family via check-by-mail.
"This family has suffered a terrible trauma, and we are grateful to everyone who is helping them recover from the shock they’ve experienced," Walton said.
Checks can be mailed to or dropped off in person at Turn of River Middle School main office between 7 a.m. and 2 p.m. Monday through Friday. Those mailing checks should direct them to:
Turn of River Middle School-PTO
117 Vine Road
Stamford, CT 06905
Checks should be made payable to TOR-PTO and have "Rashad Gross" in the memo line.
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