Community Mourns Little Boy's Death
Tanner Jeans, 7, was killed Wednesday when he rode his bicycle into the street and collided with a pick-up truck.
Friends and neighbors gathered Friday night to try and deal with their pain.
"How we respond to this as parents in a community is especially crucial," said one man.
Their grief is obvious as this neighborhood pulls together to get through an unthinkable tragedy.
"I'm overwhelmed," cried a friend of the family, "by the support in this community. It really is overwhelming and it is beautiful."
Tanner died in an instant. Investigators say there is nothing the driver of the truck could have done. Tanner came out of an alley on his bicycle and actually slammed into the side of the pick-up.
"It's very emotional because it could have easily been my son," said Alyssa Walker. "You just feel so safe up here in this neighborhood you don't think of these things happening."
Grief counselors were brought in to help parents and their kids, many of whom were Tanner's friends. The counselors want to help residents learn to cope with their loss.
"You are not supposed to bury your children, it's supposed to be the other way around. No one knows that more than someone with a small child," said Snoqualmie Police Chief Jim Shaffer.
On this night, at this gathering, these neighbors held their children a little bit closer and held each other a little tighter.
"Make sure you tell your kids how much you love them because you never know," said neighbor Brandi Hamilton.
On a sad note, this meeting was held on the very same day Tanner was supposed to graduate from the 1st Grade.
On Sunday his family and friends will gather again at the little boy's memorial service.