GEORGETOWN TOWNSHIP, Mich. — Seven-year-old Ruby Rissley was struck by a car while walking home from school on Thursday.
"Ruby's the sweetest little girl," says next-door neighbor Caleb Beefus. "One of those things you never plan on."
Friday night, friends and neighbors gathered at the Rissley house to send their love to the family. It was in the middle of the gathering Beefus shared an update:
Ruby's family is saying their final goodbyes.
"It's just a nightmare turned to reality," he says.
From the hospital, Ruby's mother also shared the news to her Facebook page, saying "she has had no brain activity since we arrived. She will not survive this here on Earth."
Beefus said the idea for the vigil was on short notice, but was unsurprised to see the large turnout.
"It just shows how loved the Rissley family is and even how much they give back to the community," says Beefus. "They're people that bring so much joy and life to where they work, to their church, to their extended family."
Towards the end of the brief gathering, the crowd began to sing Amazing Grace and send paper lanterns into the sky.
"We love them and we'll continue to support them," says Beefus.
A GoFundMe page is set up for the family, and already has collected more than $27,000.
*The Ottawa County Sheriff's Office stated in an initial release that Ruby was 5 years old. In a newer release, the office corrected the age to 7. This story has been updated to include the correct age.
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