Memorial Grows For Brycen Zerby, 8, Run Over & Killed In Parade
WINDSOR, Colo. – The Windsor community is remembering a young boy who was killed while riding on a parade float on Labor Day. He has been identified on a GoFundMe page set up for the family.
A 97-year-old tradition in Windsor ended abruptly when Brycen Zerby, 8, died in a tragic accident during the town's annual parade.
Brycen was participating in activities aboard the float for a church that was getting ready for a grand opening.
"It's just such a tragic thing for this family," said Diane Breed, a Windsor resident who came by a growing memorial to pay her respects. "God must have needed his little angel early."
In an ongoing investigation, police are looking into how Brycen apparently fell off the church float trailer and was then run over by it.
Investigators said Brycen was handing out pamphlets for the church.
He later died at the UCHealth Medical Center of the Rockies in Loveland.
A GoFundMe page has been set up for a Brycen Zerby memorial fund.
"It just breaks my heart," said Glenda Mills, who is organizing a prayer vigil at Eastman Park on Wednesday evening at 6:30.
"Our community is very tight-knit," Mills said. "And when something happens here, we want to support the family."
Officials are also offering their support.
"When I first learned that we just had a horrible accident at the parade, my heart fell to my knees," said Kristie Melendez, Mayor of the town of Windsor.
Melendez said Brycen's death was the first deadly incident in the parade's history, and hopefully the last one.
"Our goal is to ensure that something like this will never happen again," Melendez said.
Generations Church in Greeley will hold a service Friday to celebrate the young boy's life.
The church in which the family was a part of, Generations Church, offered another statement on Tuesday:
Generations Church is grieving along with Jimmy and Melissa Zerby, and family, the loss of their 8 year old son, Brycen, who passed away resulting from injuries from a tragic accident while Brycen and family were serving with Generations Church at the Windsor Harvest Festival Parade.
We are deeply saddened in our loss and sincerely grateful for your prayers, support, communication and interest, most importantly for the Zerby family, but also for our church and for those affected in the local communities we live in and enjoy. We love you and we need you.
Services to celebrate and honor the life of Brycen and to seek comfort and place our hope in Jesus will be Friday, September 7, 3:00 PM at Generations Church, 3600 W. 22nd Street, Greeley with a brief reception to follow and also a graveside service at 11 AM, Saturday September 8, Lakeside Cemetery, 1525 South 9th Street, Canon City, Colorado with a brief reception to follow.
A GoFundMe Page has been setup in support of the Zerby family, by Clear Water Products, Jimmy Zerby's employer. Generations Church is directing all support directly to the Zerby family through this page, which can be accessed at https://www.gofundme.com/brycen-zerbys-memorial-fund.
A crisis response event has been planned Tuesday evening for those immediately involved in the accident, but details will not be released to the public.
A second level of support is available to anyone and all affected. If you are suffering from the loss and need help, please reach out to North Range Behavioral Health. Anyone who has witnessed or has been affected by Brycen's death can call 970-347-2120 to speak with mental health professionals on call 24/7.
Frontier Elementary of Greeley, where Brycen attended, and Generations Church, Greeley, also have crisis teams in place to help this week [Frontier] and weekend [Generations].
There is a prayer vigil being organized in Windsor, independent of the family and the church, for the support and grief of the community. The Zerby family and Generations Church are grateful for all efforts towards support, love and unity within our communities. Generations Church will have a pastor available at this vigil.
Our sincere thanks for your prayers and support to the family.
Additional inquiries or offers for help to the family can be directed to hello@wearegenerations.church.