A funeral is planned Saturday morning for the 6-year-old Salem boy killed in a tragic accident.
Friends and family will gather at the Holy Cross Church in New Britain at 10 a.m. Saturday.
Jeffrey Bourgeois' life came to a tragic end on Tuesday morning when he put a branch into a wood chipper his father was using and was pulled into the machine. He and his two older siblings had gone to work with their dad during school vacation week.
Nearly 100 adults and children attended a candlelight vigil to honor Jeffrey Bourgeois Thursday.
The Salem green turned into a place of mourning for the people in the tight-knit community.
“It has devastated this whole town. It's been really hard for us,” said resident Tom Bartok.
They gathered and tried to find understanding behind a horrific loss.
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“It's too terrible for words. It’s just a tragedy for a family,” said Joanne Banulski.
“It definitely took (me) back a couple steps made me think about my own priorities,” said Katarina Woronik.
The town, including the emergency responders who tried to save Jeffrey, remembered the little boy and tried to give his family strength during such a difficult time.
“They're utterly devastated, very devastated,” Banulski added
This community also found support in one another.
“It's hard all around for a town and for a family, and as a father and having three kids of my own,” said Tom Bartok, whose kids went to school with Jeffrey Bourgeois at Salem Elementary.
He brought them to the vigil because the sudden loss has been tough for them to comprehend too.
“It's just important for us to pull together and get through what's been a difficult week,” Bartok added.
The severity of what happened to this little boy will make it tough for this community to recover.
“I don't know how the family is dealing with it,” said Ruth Savalle.
Since the town has had such a tough time dealing with the tragedy, Salem Elementary has offered counseling to students and parents.
