By Brett Milam
Editor
A 13-year-old student at West Clermont Middle School was killed while crossing the street on Nov. 4, Union Township Police said.
Patrick Barkley, 13, and two other juveniles were struck by a vehicle in the 1200 block of Summerside Road at 7 p.m. Patrick would succumb to injuries sustained in the incident Sunday morning.
Grief counselors with Clermont County Crisis Team and Child Focus, Inc. were on hand Monday at West Clermont Middle School following his death.
“Our hearts are broken and we are sending lots of love and positive energy to Patrick’s family and friends – we are one wolf pack and stand together,” the school said on its Facebook page.
The juveniles were transported to Anderson Mercy Health, with one since released, police said. Police said the other juvenile was transported to Children’s Hospital from Anderson Mercy with non-life threatening injuries.
An event called the “Celebration of Life,” for Patrick, who was known as “Patchy,” will take place at the Mount Carmel Christian Church on Nov. 11 at 9 a.m. until 10 a.m. The church is located on 4110 Bach Buxton Road in Batavia.
In lieu of flowers the family asks for new or gently used shoes to donate to children in need.
Jamey Ponte helped to organize the event on behalf of the family. He said he was around the family, including Patrick, a lot at the Child Wellness Center.
Ponte said the event is more for the family than the private service for the family, which will be a separate situation.
“We really wanted to help the community as a whole address this,” he said. “Lori’s just been wonderful.”
Lori is Lori Crowe, the West Clermont Middle School Principal. The service is for the kids, who were friends with Patrick.
“He was very aware of donate for life,” Ponte said. “He used to ask for the adults’ driver’s licenses to see if they were a donor or not.”
The family has since donated what they can, he said.
“Everyone in the community- especially his friends are encouraged to join us as we celebrate his short 13 year life,” the Facebook event said.
Additional information was listed on the event page:
• SHOES- We ask that you bring a pair of gently used or new shoes (if you knew Patchy you knew he loved shoes) in lieu of flowers.
• PHOTOS- We ask that his friends post photos of Patchy here on this event page. We will include them in Saturday’s celebration.
• GREEN- Please wear green, his friends have been wearing green to school to honor Patchy.
• STAR GLOW- We encourage you to bring glow sticks, Mini LED lights – we will end with a Star Glow Celebration. Patchy liked to have fun.
No further information is known about the incident on Nov. 4.