BERWICK, COLUMBIA COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU)— "Berwick Strong," comes to life as the community rebounds from tragedy.
It's been three weeks since a fire claimed the lives of 10 people in Luzerne County. Just a week later, one person was killed and 17 people were hospitalized after a man drove through a fundraiser for the fire victims.
“The lord’s been tugging on my heart ever since it happened,” said Timothy Babb, the owner of Taps Sports Bar & Grill.
Members of the Berwick community gathered together on Saturday for a benefit at Taps Sports Bar & Grill.
More than 100 baskets lined up for its raffle auction fundraiser ticket sales going toward the victims of two recent tragedies.
“It’s just amazing that it takes something like this to bring your community together, but at least they come together. You know, at least we all come together,” Babb told Eyewitness News.
The first of the tragedies happened on August 5 when ten people lost their lives in a house fire in Nescopeck.
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Just eight days later, a man drove through a fundraiser for the families of the fire victims at the Intoxicology Department, one person was killed and 17 others were sent to the hospital.
One of the victims recovering is eight-year-old Isabella. Her femur was fractured in the crash leading to surgery.
She and her family attended the benefit and her dad said her strength is incomparable.
“She wanted to come back to see how it’s going to be. We wanted to make her feel more comfortable, see if she was comfortable with coming and she said yes so we came,” said Zachariah Kessler, Isabella’s father.
The faces of those who lost their lives were posted on a memorial at the benefit. A reminder of the compassion and love the "Berwick Strong" community shares.
“The community’s amazing around here. You know it doesn’t matter, everyone jumps in, ‘how can we help? What can we do?’ and that’s what makes this area so beautiful,” said Lauren Hess, owner of the Intoxicology Department.
24-year-old Adrian Oswaldo Sura Reyes is the man accused of intentionally driving his car through the crowd at the Intoxicology department.
He is currently jailed without bail at the Columbia County Prison and faces a preliminary hearing scheduled for October 13.
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