9-Year-Old Boy Remembered By Teacher and Community After Being Swept Away By Flood Waters

A 9-year-old boy from Kentucky is remembered by many after being swept away by flood waters. Gabriel Andrews was one of at least 16 people who passed away after the massive storms in Frankfort, Kentucky.

The young boy was taken by flood waters as he walked to his bus stop to get to school on the morning of April 4th. They found his body two hours later, about half a mile away, according to WLKY News Louisville.

A Teacher Shares About the Loss of Her Student

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This tragic loss hits home for the people of Gabriel’s community. One of Gabriel’s teachers, Kasey Swails, shares about her young student as she mourns his loss. “He was the sweetest boy who always put a smile on my face,” she says. “He told me good morning EVERY morning as soon as he walked in my door. He has so many people who love him, especially every kiddo in our classroom.”

Kasey also went on to say, “Being a teacher means you pour into and love on someone else’s kid like they are your own. And today has been the most heartbreaking day in my teaching career. I just want to squeeze each of my babies a little tighter and remind them how much I love them.”

The Loss Had Been Felt By the Whole Community

And what a heartbreaking thing to have to mourn one of your students. The loss has been felt throughout the whole school and the community. A rainy storm took someone just beginning his life.

Some felt that school should have been closed that day. “I think Franklin County should have called schools off,” shared Caitlin Green, both a neighbor and a parent of another student in Gabriel’s class. “They did call certain bus routes out. But I mean, at 6 a.m. this morning, we had lightning and thunder. You’re taking the chance on, you know, putting these kids on a bus through this weather, not knowing, you know, if they’re going to run into flooded waters.”

It’s Hard to Understand Why a 9-Year-Old Boy Was Swept Away

Other neighbors shared that the route kids have to take to get to the bus stop makes them have to step over a drain, which rushes with water in the WLK4 News Louisville video.

It can be so difficult to understand when a child loses their life in an accident like this. Many prayers to Gabriel’s family and the community as they mourn his tragic loss.

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“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” - Isaiah 41:10

WATCH: 9-Year-Old Boy Remembered By Teacher and Community After Being Swept Away By Flood Waters

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h/t: PEOPLE

Featured Image Credit: YouTube/WLKY News Louisville