Liam Pinheiro was the kind of five-year-old boy who could light up any room with his big smile. He was always joking around and making people laugh. He loved greeting his family and friends with his favorite phrase, “Sup Bro.” This happy, energetic little kid was impossible not to love. Tragically, a normal Wednesday afternoon turned into an absolute nightmare for his family.
The young preschool student was riding his bicycle on Cherokee Street in New Bedford. It was around 3:30 p.m. on June 10 when a vehicle struck him. The impact of the crash ended up taking his life. The sudden loss has left the local neighborhood and his school community completely heartbroken.
Liam went to school in the Acushnet Public School district. After the accident, school officials and the New Bedford police identified the young boy. The school superintendent sent out a heartfelt letter to local families. The note said the entire community is completely devastated by this sudden and inconceivable tragedy.
The school district quickly took action to help everyone deal with the shock. They arranged counseling services for students and families who are hurting right now. Officials want to make sure anyone affected by the crash has a safe place to talk. They offered their deepest condolences to Liam’s relatives and the wider community.
Now, the community is coming together to support Liam’s family in a massive way. A GoFundMe campaign was set up to help them out with unexpected costs. The online fundraiser was organized by the Bristol County chapter of the Massachusetts Correction Officers Federated Union. People from all over started donating money almost immediately.
The fundraiser has already brought in more than $100,000. This huge amount of money will go directly to Liam’s family. It is meant to help them pay for funeral costs during this painful time. The funds will also help cover their urgent everyday living expenses so they do not have to worry about bills.
Meanwhile, the local authorities are still looking into exactly what happened on that street. The driver of the vehicle stayed at the scene after the collision occurred. Police noted that the driver cooperated fully with investigators from the very beginning. As of Friday, no formal charges have been filed against the motorist.
