JENISON, Mich. - A Jenison family and community are grieving after a 14-year-old was hit and killed by a car on Sunday night. Xzavier Gust and his friend were riding their bikes home from a pool party around 10:30 p.m.
Gust tried to cross the street near 44th Street and 8th Avenue when he was struck by an oncoming car. He was not wearing a helmet.
Gust just graduated from Jenison Junior High and was enrolled as a freshman at the high school. The principal said Xzavier died on Monday, two days before his high school orientation.
"A smile that could light up the room, tons of friends, and very tight knit group that he hung out with and was around," Jenison Junior High principal Brett Cataldo said.
Instead of preparing for high school, Xzavier's family is planning for a funeral. Kimberly Neuman is Xzavier's mother Kelly's best friend.
"It's just hard...to think of as a mom," Neuman said.
Neuman is taking care of Xzavier's younger siblings for the time being.
"She's not eating or sleeping. That's one less thing for her to worry about," Neuman said.
Sunday night, Xzavier and his friend were riding their bikes home from a party.
"His friend was riding ahead of him and yelled back 'Hey, get out of the way, no don't get out of the way.' It wasn't soon enough or he didn't hear him. I don't know," Neuman said.
That friend raced home to call Xzavier's parents.
"Mom kept asking, 'What if he was wearing a helmet?' and they said there's no guarantee that would have helped him because of how the impact happened. Even if he was a wearing a helmet, it probably would have resulted in the same outcome," Neuman said.
His family and nearly 50 friends flooded the hospital waiting room.
"We held his hand, and it was very obvious that he's not in there anymore," Neuman said. "He was a fun kid, he had a really good sense of humor, there was never a time when he was down or quiet or negative, that's why he had so many friends because he was an amazing person to be around."
Xzavier's organs will be donated.
"That's what Xzavier would have wanted, he was a good kid and he always wanted to help. He wanted to be making everyone smile," Neuman said.
Neuman's daughter Kiara said Xzavier was like a brother.
"I want him to know that I'm going to be taking care of his siblings and making sure that I'm a good role model towards them and making sure his family is okay," Kiara LaChance said.
The funeral arrangements haven't been released yet, but there is a GoFundMe to help with expenses.
"We're going to have to go through birthdays, and Christmas and wedding anniversaries, learning how to live without him. It's going to be hard," Neuman said.
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