VIGIL HELD FOR CRASH VICTIMS
Friends and family members of Taylor Johnson and Marsha Crowley attend a vigil Friday night at the site where the two were killed Wednesday on Mendon Road.
WOONSOCKET — Family members and friends of Taylor Johnson, 13, and his grandmother, Marsha Crowley, 59, came together Friday evening to hold a candlelight vigil in their memory and to celebrate their lives.
There was quiet reflection in the large crowd gathered around the utility pole near 715 Mendon Road, which was struck by the 2013 Hyundai Sonata Marsha and Taylor had been riding in at about 5 p.m. on Wednesday – a tragic accident killing them both.
Johnson’s cousin, Demetrius, 10, was also in the car but suffered minor injuries thanks to his seatbelt. The driver of the Sonata, Michael Beaucage, 59, Crowley’s boyfriend, was also injured and later charged by Woonsocket police with driving under the influence, driving to endanger death resulting, and other charges in connection with the single-car crash into the utility pole.
And while Beaucage was blasted by the family members for causing the fatal accident claiming two lives, Friday’s vigil was more focused on remembering their loved ones in the best moments of their lives.
Crowley’s son, Eric Gauvin, said the gathering was helping his family members get through a dark time they might not be capable of navigating alone.
“It is just truly warming. I am very humbled,” Eric, who went to the vigil with his wife, Lisa, and young daughter, Heather, offered.
Heather is named for Eric’s sister, Taylor Johnson’s mother, who died two years ago almost to the day of Wednesday’s fatal crash claiming her mother and son. That had made the family’s loss of Taylor and his mother, Marsha, all the more painful, Eric said.
“You need people and loved ones,” he said. “Who else picks you up out of the darkness. I’m glad to have so many family members and friends here.”
Eric’s brother, Tom Cabral, Demetrius’ father, was among the family members blaming Beaucage for their losses and told the gathering “I hope he never gets out of jail and that he rots there.”
But he also voiced thanks for the fact that his own son stood in front of him during the vigil and was able to show people how a seatbelt had saved his life in the crash. The straps of the seat restraints left bruises on his son’s chest and indicated the amount of force that had been involved in the accident, he noted. Tom encouraged everyone around him to wear seatbelts while relating how they do save lives.
Also standing with the brothers and holding back his emotions was Asmar Johnson, Taylor’s father.
“My son was an awesome man,” Asmar said, with his voicing trailing off. “It’s hard for me to talk about it. I just can’t put into words what I am feeling.”
But the gathering of those also feeling Asmar’s loss helped, he said.
“It (helps) and I appreciate it and I need the support,” he said.
Asmar said he went through a lot when Taylor’s mother, Heather, died two years ago, and he had struggled to do what was right for his son. There had been problems and Asmar said he finally felt he had worked out getting Taylor into a stable home with his grandmother, Marsha.
It had seemed things would be alright until Wednesday evening.
“It is going to be a long road for me,” Asmar said while noting he must, once again, try to put things back together.
Eric Gauvin said his mom had done her very best for Taylor as she did with everyone.
“She was great,” Eric said, while recalling how she had been spending all her time with Taylor and the rest of her family.
Tom Cabral told reporters at the vigil that he was now worried about how his son would recover from the experience of being in the accident.
“I’m concerned about his ability to deal with this, with him trying to wake up my nephew. You can never forget it; you can never forget it,” he said as he rubbed his son’s head with his hands.
Those attending the vigil were helping, he added.
“The support is humongous. You see this is just some of us – our family, our friends, everyone is here for my mom, my nephew and my sister,” he said. “Everybody knows there will be much more at the funeral,” he added, while noting the upcoming services for his family members.
“I love everybody,” Tom Cabral shouted out to the gathering. “I love you all for showing up. This means a lot to me,” he said.
Like his brother, Tom also remembered his mother’s way.
“My mom was the nicest person. She would do anything she can do, no matter what. She always did,” he said.
Marsha had taken Taylor on daytrips and vacations all summer long, he noted, “and it all comes back to this tragedy,” he said while he shook his head.
Woonsocket police officers directed traffic through the section of Mendon Road to help the family hold its gathering at the accident site.
Mourners brought flowers and balloons to decorate the scene and set out candles in the victim’s memory in the encroaching twilight. Aposter bearing the smiling faces of Marsha and Taylor was placed there, too, and allowed them to look back on the crowd.