In New York, a seventeen-year-old high school student died in a car accident during his lunch break from school. Now, the community is rallying around the family who lost a loved one, and the school is working hard to mend the broken hearts of plenty of its students while creating new rules to ensure that such a travesty is not likely ever to happen again.
Dylan Nuccio was from Farmingdale, New York, where he attended Plainedge High School. On January 3, in the middle of the day, Nuccio was pronounced deceased by the Nassau County Police Department of Long Island, New York. The seventeen-year-old boy was pronounced dead on the scene by medics.
Police said that when they arrived on the scene, they saw a 2019 BMW that had overturned onto its side after veering off the roadway and slamming into a tree. While an investigation was said to be ongoing, it was announced that Nuccio, who had yet to be named, was the only occupant in the vehicle.
On the afternoon of January 2, Edward A. Salina, Jr., Ed.D., Superintendent of Plainedge Public Schools, offered a statement to the community on the school’s Facebook page. After breaking the news to families and students in the school district, Salina went on to offer help in the form of the district’s Crisis Intervention Team and announced a new rule that would not allow students to leave campus during lunch breaks.
Salina wrote, “This loss is sure to raise many emotions, concerns, and questions for our entire school community, especially our staff and students. Plainedge High School has already mobilized our Crisis Intervention Team made up of mental health support professionals trained to help with the needs of students, parents, and school personnel at difficult times such as this. We have counselors available for any student or staff member who may need support or any type of assistance surrounding this loss.”
Nuccio’s visitation was held on January fifth, with a special request to attendees being made. Instead of flowers, visitors were asked to make a small donation to the USA Boxing Foundation in honor of Dylan. Dylan’s obituary mentioned the recent death of Dylan’s father, who passed in 2021 due to complications with COVID, saying, “We know Dylan is now with his father, Thomas and is loved here on earth as well as in heaven.”
Salina also offered his thoughts and prayers to the Nuccio family, writing, “We are deeply saddened by this loss to our school community and will make every effort to support our staff, students, and families. The health and safety of our children and staff is always our top priority. As more information becomes available, we will provide the Plainedge Community with updates. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the Nuccio family and friends and the entire Plainedge Community during this very difficult time.”
As the families in the Plainedge community reel from the loss of a young man, we are reminded of the importance of safe driving. So many lives are lost on the roads in America, and it is imperative that our youngest generation learns to be cautious on the street.
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