Kevin Gonsalez, 13, was pulled off life support Wednesday, a day after he and a buddy placed a large rock on the metal bars of a bus trap as a prank. When a bus passed by, the pressure of the tires propelled the rock out and it hit Gonsalez just above the eyes. He was taken to Alberta Children's Hospital, but his injuries were too severe to save him.
Because of their young school mate's tragic death, and the unusual circumstances surrounding it, the decision was made to bring in grief counsellors to St. Helena junior high school, said Tania Younker, a spokeswoman for the city's Catholic school district. "They're just talking with kids, taking one-on-one time with kids who need it and providing support to the teaching staff," she said.
It's become standard practice after a tragic or traumatic event to allow both students and staff to express their feelings, she said. "It's better for kids to be able to talk it through with somebody who can help them work through the grief and the pain and help them grieve and get that out in the open rather than keep it bottled inside." Because of the Catholic junior high school's strong faith component, a special service will likely be held at the school, Younker said.
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