Hispanic boy Elyas Amyr Marshall Rodríguez survived cancer but dies after being run over

• Tragedy of the Hispanic child Elyas Amyr Marshall Rodríguez
• He had survived cancer
• Killed by school bus

The innocent action of a 9-year-old Hispanic boy to recover his ball triggered the most terrible consequences for his family, after a school bus hit him in the head and he died.

Before this terrible outcome, Elyas Amyr Marshall Rodríguez had won the worst of the battles against death.

He had won his fight against leukemia.

He had barely begun to enjoy the happiness of play, school and the daily life of a child when a bad move in life took him from this world.

Tragedy of Elyas Amyr Marshall Rodríguez

«He was a resilient child, full of energy and joy of life. He overcame lymphoma cancer (leukemia) that was diagnosed when he was two years old,» his cousin wrote in GoFundMe.

And he continued: «Despite this exhausting trip, he always had a smile on his face and had been in remission,» said Trenae Gayle, in the fundraising campaign.

The episode that marked the Hispanic family and an entire community occurred around 3:47 in the afternoon last Tuesday, January 16.

Elyas naively ran after the ball that rolled under the bus.

He had managed to beat cancer

The elementary student was the last one on the school route and his final stop was at the Waterford East Apartments complex, Orange County, Florida.

Witnesses said that the boy lost his soccer ball and he went in to look for it through the back.

The Florida Highway Patrol reported in a news release that the child «crawled under» the bus as the driver drove away.

The rear tire of the bus «collided» with Elyas and he was pronounced dead at the scene.

And all for a ball

According to authorities, the 56-year-old driver remained at the scene until officers arrived.

It was known that he had been serving on the school route for more than 10 years.

The Orange County Medical Examiner’s Office ruled the child died from head trauma.

The case is currently being handled as a traffic homicide and its investigation remains active, the Highway Patrol said in its report.

Accident or carelessness?

Gayle classified his death as “tragic and senseless.”

«His loss is truly unbearable and unworthy. My aunt will never be the same again,» said the little boy’s cousin.

The boy, who was a third grade student at Lawton Chiles Elementary School, was described by his cousin as «an outgoing, loving, and loving child.»

«He loved football and dreamed of playing in the NFL.He was very loved by his community and by his two brothers, one autistic and the other blind,» he commented.

GoFundMe campaign

The pain for the loss of Elyas is latent in the community of Waterford East.

More than 100 people, including neighbors, friends, classmates and teachers, gathered on the night of Wednesday, January 17, near the family’s home to pay tribute to the boy.

«Our thoughts and prayers are with the family as he goes through this extremely difficult time,” said Erin Willis, principal of Lawton Chiles Elementary School, in a statement.

Knowing the mix of emotions that the event aroused, Willis indicated: «We will have grief counselors on campus… as long as we need them for any student or staff member who needs to talk to someone.»