Candlelight Vigil Held for Leiby

WABC and COLlive

More than 200 people crowded the playground behind PS 230 in Kensington Sunday night.

Each one touched by the life and death of 8-year-old Leiby Kletzky, using candles to show the light he left in their hearts and minds.

“It must be very painful for the community it’s so close to home and it’s a child that didn’t know any better and didn’t have anyone to help him,” Bay Ridge resident Catherine Greco said.

In attendance at the vigil was NYS Assemblyman Dov Hikind, NYS Sen. Eric Adams, NYC Councilman Brad Lander and Eli Slavin representing Congresswoman Yvette Clark.

Rabbi Moshe Hecht, Director of Chabad of Windsor Terrace in Brooklyn, was asked to say a prayer.

8-year-old Leiby Kletzky was kidnapped walking home from his Borough Park day camp July 11th. His death opened up a difficult but necessary conversation for parents like Barbara Lang and her 8-year-old son Jakob.

“I have an eight-year-old. I don’t know what to feel. It’s devastating,” Kensington resident Barbara Lang said.

Mourners signed a banner on the sidewalk expressing their thoughts and prayers for Leiby and his family.

It’s a way to cope with this tragedy but in no way a step closer to understanding how someone, anyone could do such a terrible thing to an innocent boy.

“I just want to say to his parents we are with you. We hope he rests in peace,” vigil attendee Iram Ali said.

Leiby’s father has set up a memorial fund in their son’s memory.

So far $192,000 has been raised.

The goal is $1,000,000 to help people in need and to do at least some of what Leiby would have accomplished in his lifetime.

To donate click here.