Gabriel Coury, the 12-year-old boy killed July 11 when hit by a vehicle in Kent, loved to play sports, especially baseball and flag football, and impressed everyone he met.
“He was the most caring and kind little boy anyone had ever met,” his mother Shellie Coury wrote on a GoFundMe.com account set up to help pay for his funeral. “He touched the hearts of his family, his school friends, his teachers, his neighbors, his teammates, his kickboxing community and everyone he ever met.”
Gabriel was riding a scooter along 132nd Avenue SE near SE 230th Street when a driver at a high rate of speed hit him, according to probable cause court documents. Kent Police arrested a 19-year-old Maple Valley man for investigation of vehicular homicide. He reportedly was drunk and driving about 60 mph in a 35 mph zone, according to court documents.
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Gabriel was a recent sixth-grade graduate from Sunrise Elementary School, about a half mile from the collision. He was coming home from a nearby park, according to his mother.
“Gabriel was always a family kid and even when he was sick on his birthday all he asked for was to be surrounded by his loved ones,” his mother said.
Sunrise Elementary Principal Katharine Geiss wrote an email July 12 to the Sunrise community about Gabriel.
“The loss of Gabriel is an immeasurable tragedy, and the entire community is united in grief,” Geiss said. “We stand together to support his family, friends, and the Sunrise Elementary School community during this difficult time and extend our deepest condolences to all those affected by this heartbreaking incident.”
Geiss said that Gabriel’s teacher, Mrs. (Angel) Fiame, shared how compassionate, caring and attentive Gabriel was to her and the whole class.
As of noon Thursday, July 13 the GoFundMe account had raised $25,630 of a $10,000 goal.
“Thank you for all your thoughts, prayers, gestures and generosity,” his mother said.
Shellie Coury said her son was an amazing boy.
“Gabriel was a shining light of joy, kindness and love that everyone cherished,” she said.
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