Mark Fike, 11, left, died Monday after he and two of his siblings were hit by a car at their bus stop on Geibel Road in Summit Township. Mark is pictured with his 6-year-old brother Ryan, middle, who suffered a head injury in the incident, and brother Emmett, right, who was not involved in the accident. Mark's grandmother, Donna Fike, said Mark loved to catch creatures, go fishing and generally be outdoors.

SUMMIT TWP — The grandmother of 11-year old Mark Fike, who died shortly after being struck by a car Monday morning at his bus stop, said her grieving family has a message for all those who have prayed for the family, sent cards, donated to the online fundraiser in Mark's memory or even held the family in their heart for a few moments.

“We are amazed and we appreciate it as a family,” Donna Fike said. “It's a show of love from those who can't be with us, that they are willing to help us however they can.”

Asked about the gofundme.com fundraiser that had amassed more than $26,000 as of presstime, Fike called Butler County “a very generous and loving community.”

“We are grateful for all of our friends and family and the incredible community support,” said the grieving grandmother. “It is helping us get through this tragedy.”

Fike said the family would also like to talk to Gina Kibbie, the mother and paraprofessional who was on her way to work at Summit Township Elementary School when she accidentally struck Mark and his siblings, Ryan, 6, and Lyssa, 9, because she did not see the children at their bus stop.

Police say sun glare on the bright morning may have restricted her view.

She said the children's mother, Margaret, has tried to contact Kibbie to no avail.

“We harbor no ill will against her,” Fike said. “We want her to know that we care and that we would love to give her a hug and tell her we understand that accidents happen.”

She said the Fike children know Kibbie from school and that Kibbie even worked with Mark in the past.

“We hope she'll be able to come to the viewing and funeral, so she can grieve along with the rest of us,” Fike said. “Our hearts go out to her as well.”

She said Kibbie remained at the scene of the accident until all emergency responders had left.

“She had her own children in the car with her,” Fike said. “This has to be so hard for her.”

Fike said the family is doing the best they can, holding one another up and helping Ryan and Lyssa recover from their injuries. Ryan, who was flown to UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, has seven stitches in his head and Lyssa, who was taken to Butler Memorial Hospital, suffered a badly bruised ankle.

“The kids are doing pretty good physically, but emotionally they are doing OK,” Fike said. “They know Mark is dead, but I don't think the reality has hit them yet.”

She described Mark as a kind, loving boy who enjoyed catching bugs or any of nature's creatures, with which he was fascinated.

“He has caught an opossum, bat and scorpion,” Fike said through tears. “He would ever so gently scoop them up and put them inside something.”

She said he did not like to read, but devoured every book his grandparents bought him about insects.

“And he loved to go fishing,” Fike said. “He loved to be in the outdoors and in nature.”

She said the Fike family will soldier on with sadness in their hearts, never far from the memory of their carefree boy with the huge smile.

“We're holding together pretty well,” said Fike. “We have a strong faith and that is getting us through, and we are a pretty tight family and we're holding each other up.”

Contributions to the Mark Fike Memorial Fund can be made by logging onto www.gofundme.com and searching “Mark Fike.”

Trooper Ron Kesten said accident reconstruction specialists are investigating the incident, but no charges are pending against Kibbie.