'That Whole Family Is Gone': Community Rallies For Boy Facing Future Without Father, Mother Or Sister After Deadly Crash
CARTERET, N.J. (CBSNewYork) - A community is pulling together in the shadow of a New Jersey family's tragedy after a young boy loses both his parents and his sister in a car crash.
Flowers sit outside the Singh family's home in Carteret, N.J., reports CBS2's Hazel Sanchez.
There is a makeshift memorial left by neighbors who were heartbroken by the tragedy leaving 11-year-old Yashvir Singh alone.
"At 11 years old and you lose your whole family," said neighbor Maria Medeiros. "I can't even imagine such a thing. I really can't. It's just awful."
The accident happened Thursday as the Singh family was in Virginia visiting Luray Caverns.
They were on their way back to New Jersey that afternoon when the driver of a pick-up truck lost control, slamming into their minivan.
While all were wearing seatbelts, Yashvir was the only one to survive, suffering a fractured pelvis.
His parents, 44-year-old Gurmeet Singh and 38-year-old Jasleen Kaur, and his 6-year-old sister Harjas Kaur were killed instantly. The driver of the truck was not seriously injured.
Gurdarshan Singh and his wife tearfully reflected on their close friendship with the family, their tenants for eight years.
"I couldn't believe that whole family is gone," said Gurdarshan. "That whole family, I couldn't believe it.
They say Yashvir has no immediate family nearby, and is waiting for relatives to fly in from India.
The local Sikh temple his family attended set up a GoFundMe page for him and raised more than $130,000 in just two days.
"The whole community is trying to support him," said Sukhwinder Kaur. Everybody. All the friends and family.
It's now painfully quiet at the Singh's home.
Neighbors say the homemade swing built with a father's love will never bring the joy it once did.
Happiness will only come from memories of the beautiful life the Singh's once had here.
Vashvir Singh remains hospitalized in Virginia.
Family friends say he is in stable condition.