CAMBRIDGE, MASS. (WHDH) - Hundreds of classmates and teachers mourned a seventh-grade student who died earlier in the week following a boating accident in Aruba.
Cassidy Murray had been on vacation with her family when the fatal accident happened, Jennifer Price, Head of Buckingham Browne & Nichols School, wrote in a letter to the community. The school was opened Saturday for the community to come together to remember her.
“Simply put, it’s just devastating,” Price said. “A 13-year-old on vacation with her family, and she’s not coming home. And, that’s really hard for anyone to process. Both as a school leader and also as a mom.”
Cassidy played hockey for Buckingham Browne & Nichols School. Her coach said that “she came out of her shell towards the end of the season, happily playing against much stronger teams and just enjoying being out on the ice.”
On Monday morning, the middle school faculty and students will gather together to start the day in class meetings, at which time counselors will speak with the students about how to reach out for support for themselves and each other. But Price said it was important to reach out to students before then, as they have been out of school for spring break.
“Just to give them an opportunity to process to think about Cassidy, remember Cassidy, and to think about how to support one another,” Price said. “People are writing cards to the family. We had a number of service dogs show up today, so we could pet some dogs and talk to each other.”
“The stories I’ve been hearing all morning is just how amazing Cassidy was as a person,” Price added. “Just a caring, compassionate, great friend, and I think everyone is just processing the fact that when they come to school on Monday, she’s not going to be here.”
A GoFundMe has been set up for Cassidy Murray’s family.
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