Today We Honor the Memory of Alyssa Loschiavo

More than 15,000 people had rallied on Facebook to pray for Alyssa Loschiavo over three years.

The all-star West Seneca Middle School cheerleader was 14 when she was struck by a  van as she attempted to cross four lanes of Union Road, on May 12, 2011. The incident was ruled accidental.

From an essay posted by her father, Don.

Alyssa Loschiavo was struck by a van in May of 2011 and suffered severe head trauma. Within an hour of the accident doctors preformed a Craniotomy, repaired a collapsed lung and fought massive internal bleeding. Physicians and Surgeons didn’t expect her to live. As news of the accident spread through social media thousands of individuals from countries as far as Norway and Germany and states as far away as California and Texas rallied for Alyssa and her family.

According to a Buffalo News story, a few months after the crash, family, friends and strangers rallied in support of the eighth-grader. Her parents, Donald and Kim, said at the time that the support and fundraisers both surprised them and gave them strength.

The following three years weren't easy for Alyssa or her family.

On a September Saturday in 2014 the message on the Alyssa Loschiavo Recovery Facebook page was brief:

“Today Sept. 27th at 2:53 p.m. Alyssa was raised up in God’s hands and taken to heaven.”

Alyssa was 17 years old.

I'm sure many of you remember Alyssa's story, as I do.  At the time, my wife Corinna brought Alyssa's story to my attention.

To this day I can't even imagine what her family has gone through.

This morning I got a message from Alyssa's Dad, Don asking if on this anniversary of Alyssa's accident if I could play her song "Don't Stop Believin" by Journey at 5 pm.  I told Don I would pass his request on to Chris Crowley, who is on the air at that time.

Chris said he, of course, would respond to Don Loschiavo's request at 5 pm today.

As I sit here remembering Alyssa, her father Don and mother Kim my eyes fill with tears.  I asked Alyssa's Dad if he had a tribute to his daughter that he could share with us and he sent me this video.

(video courtesy of Don Loschiavo, Facebook)

God bless you Alyssa, and the Loschiavo family, and all families that have to go through an event that impacts their lives in such a profound way.