Colbee Lovich died in 2014 at the age of 4 in an ATV accident. His family created a scholarship in his honor in 2015.

Kelli Jo Lovich of Butler has given out $160,000 through the “In Honor of Colbee Regis Lovich” scholarships to Butler students, St. Mary's preschool in Herman and Children's Hospital in Pittsburgh. This year, she awarded 10 scholarships at $4,000 each to Butler High School graduates in honor of her late son.

But the “In Honor of Colbee Regis Lovich” bequests will take a break after this year while Kelli Jo Lovich goes to nursing school.

The “In Honor of Colbee Regis Lovich” scholarship 2019 recipients include: Emilee Altmanity, Loretta “Rose” Burger, Simon Diehl, Maegan Emanuel, Alyson Holt, Luke McEachin, Braden Pate, Shanna Pettigrew, Jade Stepanian and Jenna Williams.

Colbee died in 2014 at the age of 4 in an ATV accident. At the time of the accident, Colbee was in his second year of preschool.

“He loved everything about school ... he was outgoing, he rode horses, helped in the garage,” she said. “In his short four years, he did more than I did in my 35 years of life.”

Colbee's most famous words: “I appreciate it.”

The family did not want to keep the donations it received from benefit events, so they decided to give back, Lovich said.

In 2015, the family awarded the scholarship for the first time to five students at $4,000 each. In 2016, they awarded seven scholarships at $4,000 each. In 2017, they awarded 10 scholarships at $4,000.

At St. Mary's, Colbee's teacher selects a family in financial need to benefit from a full year's tuition.

“Physically and emotionally, it does help out,” she said about the emotional roller coaster the family has been on since her son's death.

Each year the family donated $5,000 to a Children's Hospital fund that helps families pay for parking and cafe and vending vouchers during unexpected stays.

The scholarships are a way to give students the opportunity to start college, Lovich said.

Lovich hopes to bring the scholarship opportunity back after she finishes school.

“Actually it's an amazing feeling and helps with the daily struggle, knowing you can take a horrible situation, turn it around and try to make the best of it to be able to help others in my son's memory,” she said. “We all could have given up on life, but Colbee would not have been proud of that.”