Haverford mourns 2-year-old lost in accident
HAVERFORD >> Hundreds of people turned out for a candlelight vigil at Paddock Park Tuesday evening to mourn the tragic death of Lindsay Pham Vo, a 2-yearold girl who was struck and killed by a car in the parking lot of the Haverford area YMCA Saturday afternoon.
The girl was the daughter of Thomas J. Vo and Huong Thi Minh Pham of Havertown.
The mourners gathered under the pavilion at a place normally filled with the happy sounds of children to remember the child. Many had come from a viewing held for her earlier in the evening.
Among those in attendance were the staff of the YMCA which closed for the occasion.
Tim Johansen, pastor of Temple Lutheran Church in Brookline said the death of the child makes people want to hug and hold their own children tighter.
“It is one of those tragedies that can’t be blamed on anything. There is no one to be mad at , not the gun lobby, or politicians, it’s just sad,” Johansen said.
As those in attendance sang “Amazing Grace,” tears poured down their faces on a cold sad night.
The incident occurred just before 12:30 p.m. as the child was leaving the YMCA with her mother when she ran off in the busy parking lot. The child was rushed to Lankenau Trauma Center but did not survive.
For days afterward, flowers appeared on a bench at the YMCA as the community mourned for the child, the family and the driver of the car, a township man in his 50s who stayed at the scene following the accident. He has not been charged.
“The mother and girl were walking toward their car when she ran away, and sat down,” Haverford Police Chief John Viola told reporters following the accident. “The mother was calling her and waved, we’re viewing video but it is from a distance.”
The driver pulled into the parking spot and never saw the girl sitting there, striking her.
“The driver is devastated,” said Viola. “He is from Havertown and stayed at the scene.”
On Monday police were back at the facility on Eagle Road, which has become one of the most popular and congested spots in the township since it relocation from Ardmore when it was known as the Main Line YMCA in 2013. The Y’s membership tops 27,000 with as many as 2,000 patrons visiting the site every day.
As the facility became more popular, YMCA officials have expanded parking, including demolishing a home at Lawrence and Eagle roads for staff parking spots. During busy times of the day YMCA staff assist with parking during at the lot.
“We’re thinking about all the people involved,” said Brian Hoffman one of the organizers of the vigil. “The man who struck the child must be going through hell, I can’t imagine. This was an accident in every sense of the word.”
The YMCA closed for the day shortly after incident Saturday afternoon. It reopened Sunday.
YMCA President Shaun Elliott, who oversees several YMCAs in the region including the one in Haverford, said, “Unfortunately it’s one of those accidents that really could happen anywhere and it doesn’t make it any easier.”
The officials said the organization is ready to assist all involved in the incident, including staff, family of the little girl and the driver.
Elliott offered condolences to the family of the girl. He also met with the girl’s father and called it wrenching.
“Everyone said Elliott.
Elliott said the YMCA is offering counseling support to the staff at Haverford, both for those directly involved and any other staff who may feel need to talk.
Elliott said they will be reaching out to the driver to offer their support and they offered thanks to the police and medical crews involved.
He said at an appropriate time they will have a proper memorial for the child. is very sad,”