Delaware County community remembers youngest fatal crash victim

DALEVILLE, Ind. (WISH) - A Delaware County community is coming together after a horrible tragedy.

It's been just ten days since three people were killed in a one-car crash near Muncie.

In a Yorktown park Wednesday evening, many turned out to remember the youngest of those victims.

Police said last week the crash occurred after the adult driver was speeding, going upwards of 110 miles an hour.

Two adults in the front seat were killed. Three children in the car were seriously hurt, and 12-year-old Andrew Lackey lost his life.

Lackey’s parents attended the fundraiser in Yorktown on Wednesday, saying the support from this community has been astounding.

“We didn’t know he had touched so many lives, and that makes us proud as parents,” said Linda Liming, Andrew’s mother. “There’s not enough time to thank everybody. I can’t name everybody, there’s been so many.”

“We are going to have to work the rest of our lives, to try to repay these people,” said Nick Liming, Andrew’s father.

Also at the fundraiser, 13-year-old Jessica DeLong. She fractured her spine and rib in the crash.

“Andrew came and wrapped his body around her,” explained DeLong’s mother, Sheryl.

Jessica says Andrew may be the reason she’s alive today.

“He got on top of me, to save me, so I didn’t fall through the windshield,” explained Jessica. “He actually tried to help and save my life.”

“If he wouldn’t have done what he did... he was a hero, he really was,” said Gaven Mcqueary, one of Andrew's seventh grade friends.

“I’ve got a real strong feeling this is going to serve as a lesson for hundreds of kids in this community and around the counties,” said Nick Liming.

“Our lives can be taken from us at any moment in time; we’re just glad to be there for him, right now,” said another friend of Andrew’s.

As for the other two young victims in the crash, friends believe they were released from the hospital, but are still recovering from serious injuries.

Lackey's dad says the money raised Wednesday will go to covering funeral costs, as well as starting a memorial fund in his son's name.