The sadness felt throughout our community over the past week has, at times, been so overpowering that it is hard to imagine how to overcome it. The loss of Gabe Bauserman, at the young age of 15, left not only his family reeling, but the community as a whole.

In Shepherdstown fashion, and in fact, the whole of Jefferson County, the support and love has been overwhelming. To know that when such a tragedy strikes, that one’s friends, family and even more impressively, strangers, stand beside you there is no better feeling of support.

I know that I personally had not met Gabe. But, I have a 15-year-old daughter and a 13-year-old daughter, both at Jefferson High. They, too, had only seen Gabe in passing, but were friends with the young men in the vehicle. Regardless of their (or my own) loss in not knowing this dear young man, it still feels as if it’s a loss of a friend, a part of the family of Jefferson High, of Jefferson County. We cried tears, we lit our phones at the Homecoming game last week and we prayed (and continue to do so) for Gabe’s family and the other young men involved. It is the least we can do.

So, too, are our friends and neighbors doing the same. We can pray; we can cry; we can donate funds and food. An unbelievable number have stepped up to do just that. The donations on the GoFundMe page set up in Gabe’s honor grew by leaps and bounds within hours. What a testimony of the desire for folks to reach out and help someone in their time of need and sorrow.

That’s what we do as a loving, small town community. Each time I log on to Facebook and see that fund grow higher and read the comments from those who simply want to wish the family peace, it makes me proud to live here. We step up to the plate when it’s needed and surround one of our own which is just what we should do.

I know it means the world to Mara and her family. Thank you all on her behalf. I know it makes her proud to live here, too.