Elgin boy killed in accident remembered as outgoing
An Elgin boy who died after being hit by a car was remembered Thursday as a gregarious, fun child.
Gerardo Simental was hit at about 6:15 p.m. Wednesday by a vehicle traveling east on Route 20 near McLean Boulevard, Elgin police said. Officials believe Gerardo was running south across lanes of traffic west of McLean Boulevard, police said.
Gerardo, whose nickname was “Lalo,” was with his older brother, who was not injured, said family friend Dahlia Ramos-Robles. The two were going to their grandmother's house. Gerardo was a seventh-grader at Abbott Middle School.
Gerardo was taken to Presence St. Joseph Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The driver of the vehicle wasn't injured and won't be ticketed, police said. Anyone with information about the accident should call the Elgin Police Department's traffic unit at (847) 289-2661.
“He was a child that always made everybody laugh. He was outgoing,” Ramos-Robles said. “He was always trying to make everyone happy. He was always a goofy kid, never in a bad mood.”
His brother is traumatized, Ramos-Robles said. “He's very, very, very depressed right now. He's devastated,” she said. “He saw everything. That's something that a child or anybody, especially a child, shouldn't ever see.”
Their mother, Elizabeth Burnette, a single mom, also is devastated, Ramos-Robles said. “She doesn't have her head straight right now,” she said.
Burnette couldn't be reached Thursday. Records show the family lives near the accident site.
“She wants to thank everyone for the prayers, thoughts and comments. This is a very hard time for her. Please keep her and the family in your prayers,” Ramos-Robles wrote on her Facebook page.
Crisis response teams — including social workers, psychologists and counselors — are in place to help students at Abbott and three other district schools where Gerardo's siblings attend, said Elgin Area School District U-46 safety coordinator John Heiderscheit.
Students on Thursday were writing the date of Gerardo's death on their hands as a way to remember him, Heiderscheit said. Abbott students will be allowed to wear clothes other than their uniforms on Friday if they want to contribute to a fundraiser for Gerardo's family, he said.
“Our entire organization's thoughts are with Gerardo's family and friends, and our deepest regret and sorrow for this tragic loss,” Heiderscheit said.
Staff members aren't specifically discussing safety as related to the circumstances of Gerardo's death, but it's a topic routinely addressed, he said.
“We do address walking safety and biking safety for our students occasionally throughout the school year,” Heiderscheit said.
Ramos-Robles created a gofundme.com page to help raise money for Gerardo's funeral.
Visitation for Gerardo will take place from 4 to 6 p.m. Sunday at Wait-Ross-Allanson Funeral and Cremation Service, 51 Center St., Elgin. Funeral services will take place at 6 p.m. at the funeral home.