PHOENIX (AZFamily) — The sudden death of a 4-year-old boy has shaken a Phoenix community.
The child, Miguel Dominguez, was killed earlier this week when he was hit by a car while crossing the street with his mother near 36th Street and McDowell Road. On Saturday, friends and strangers came together to raise money for the boy’s family. The charity car wash was held in the parking lot of Magical Star Preschool, where Miguel was a student for the past two years.
“Knowing what happened to him completely broke my heart. Knowing what his mom is going through, I have two little girls of my own, so I can just imagine what she’s going through. Every little bit of support to help her,” said Preschool teacher Jessica Layton.
Preschool owner Thomas Frontz told Arizona’s Family that Miguel was a special little boy who had his whole life ahead of him.
“He was just a happy kid, just a joy to be around,” Frontz said. “I drove these students all the time. I was a bus driver three days a week, and it’s just a tragedy I don’t think we can do enough.”
According to Phoenix police, Miguel was in a crosswalk walking a few steps ahead of his mother when a car smashed into him. His mother was also hit, but she was not hurt. The driver remained at the scene and impairment is not believed to be a factor.
Volunteers who showed up on Saturday say their focus is providing support for Miguel’s family and raising enough money to pay for his funeral.
“Every little bit of support helps her, even if it’s just showing up doing something as little as a car wash. This shows that he was loved, and we support her,” Layton said.
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