Community gathers to pray for 2-year-old
No parking was allowed in the streets, so neighbors in the cul-de-sac communities of Lucia Drive and Linda Court of the Apple Hill subdivision in Canonsburg opened their driveways.
Neighbor Greg Oliver guided in nearly a hundred supporters – many of them children – who came to pray Tuesday evening for the family of Dean Gillum after the 2-year-old suffered injuries from a near-drowning Thursday. He was declared brain dead by the Allegheny County Medical Examiner at 1:05 p.m. Sunday but remained on a ventilator at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC, where his mother, Laura Gillum, stayed Tuesday evening.
“We’re not ready to let him go. We’ve told doctors we’re waiting on a sign that he’s ready to go,” she said by phone.
Paul Gillum, the boy’s father, attended the solemn vigil and thanked neighbors, friends and supporters who joined in prayer, held lit candles and sang to honor the child and to hope for a miracle.
Neighbors Jess and Matt Horzempa took up their guitar and keyboard to lead the crowd in singing “Our God,” before Father John Batykefer took the microphone to inspire various call-and-response prayers.
“We’ve asked God for a miracle, but we’ve already seen one here tonight. You are all here because of Dean. You have shown your love and support for this family,” he said.
Batykefer went on to explain he was the priest who baptized Dean at St. Patrick’s Church in Canonsburg two years ago.
“God has never let him go. Dean was in His arms since then, and He will always be with him,” he said.
Nearly $6,000 was raised at http://www.gofundme.com/burrito, a website set up to raise money for the boy’s medical funds. “Burrito” is the nickname the child was given when his parents observed him while he was snuggled in a blanket.