‘Truly special’: Vigil celebrates Greene man who died after tree fell on car
From the bratty brother to the warm presence who inspired people at the gym, family and friends shared memories of Andrew Celaschi during a candlelight vigil Friday night at Lions Club Park in Waynesburg.
Celaschi, 25, of Jefferson, was killed during Tuesday night’s thunderstorms when a tree fell onto the car in which he was riding in Franklin Township. His wife, Madison Celaschi, was uninjured in the crash.
Allen Frye of Waynesburg, a friend of Andrew’s for the past 10 years, led the vigil with the help of his father, Timothy Frye.
“I wanted to show Madison that we support her and we love her, and so when I heard about this, I went to Madison and touched base with her to ensure that was OK with her,” he said.
More than 40 people came to the park pavilion Friday night, all given a candle to hold at the end of the ceremony.
Many had stories to tell, from Andrew teaching them to ride a bike to helping them out in the gym.
Andrew’s sister, Cassandra Fabean, recalled the usual clashes with her older brother during childhood. One day, that all fell away, she said. In its place was a deep bond.
“He was the most knowledgeable person I know about every single subject,” she said. “Somehow, any question I had about anything, the man had an answer.”
Everyone who had come out or offered words of support were helping the family, Fabean said.
“We can’t do this ourselves right now,” she said.
Friends who’d worked out with him remembered being intimidated at first by his bulk, then being drawn in by a person they described as a “teddy bear.”
Blake Nicklow of Waynesburg met Andrew about two years ago, shortly after starting his workouts. Experiencing issues with body image, he was initially reluctant to approach Andrew for advice.
But he found a willing listener and confidant.
“Even if I was having troubles in life, if I was depressed or angry, as soon as I started talking to him, a smile passed around my face,” he said.
Everyone who’d known Andrew, even briefly, felt his impact, Allen Frye said. He remembered the constant smile on Andrew’s face, the way he never swore, and the way he worked together as a team with his wife, with whom he ran a cleaning business.
“He’s five years younger than me, and he was somebody that I called ‘Dad,'” he said. “To be able to connect and talk about life not only on a natural level, but a spiritual level, and just to have that mindset as a young man, he was beyond his years. He was truly special.”