WATCH: Foxborough Mourns The Loss Of Anthony Scaccia

FOXBOROUGH, MA — Anthony Scaccia may no longer be alive, but based on the candles lit in his memory at the Common Tuesday night, his young spirit remains bright in the thoughts of residents across Foxborough.

The town, along with the Foxboro Jaycees, held a vigil called a "Night of Remembrance and Community Healing." Together with town officials and the town’s unified clergy, Foxborough remembered Scaccia, who was killed Thursday night by his father in a murder-suicide. (Subscribe to Foxborough Patch for updates on this and other local stories.)

“I'd like to offer our deepest condolences to Anthony's family. We gather here to grieve with you and to support you," Foxborough Selectmen Chairman David Feldman said. "Please know that Anthony will forever be in our hearts and prayers."

Scaccia was only days into kindergarten when his life was taken. Through Pastor Bill Dudley of Union Church of South Foxboro, Foxborough Public Schools Superintendent Debra Spinelli said, "Our hearts grieve for this sweet boy who was just happily beginning his school journey and our hearts grieve for those who love and care for him. It is a sad, unimaginable, and unbearable loss for us all."

Dudley said Renee Muirhead, Scaccia’s kindergarten teacher and member of the Union Church, is heartbroken over the loss of her student.

"Anthony was a big personality who filled any room that he entered. He was all boy, he was sweet, he could be rambunctious, he was full of life, he was the mayor of kindergarten at the Burrell Elementary School. We loved him and we will always remember him," Muirhead in a statement read by Dudley.

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Plans for the vigil were set in motion almost immediately after word began to spread about the tragedy. On Friday, a poster on the Foxborough Discussion Facebook page said she was going to contact Town Manager Bill Keegan about having a vigil. That lead to the Jaycees’ involvement and others looking for an outlet to grieve.

Following the remarks, members of the Jaycees used their small flames to light the candles given to other mourners at the start of of the vigil. At the bandstand was one candle remained to symbolize that everyone’s hearts were one for Anthony and his family.

"Our hearts are one with love for children. Our hearts are one with love for one another and the light is being spread across everyone here, symbolic of the light Anthony brought to our community, to all who knew and loved him and how his love, his light, and his life richly touched every single one of us," Dudley said.

Beyond the vigil, residents are making financial contributions to help Anthony’s mother Laurie Tolliver. The GoFundMe page "Memorial & Funeral Fund for Anthony" has raised over $7,000 as of Tuesday night with a goal of $10,000. Pat Larkin, the creator of the fundraiser, wrote "While emotions over this horrible incident are totally understandable, we as a community need to come together to help this family in every way we can. They need our love, compassion, prayers and financial support to deal with what lies ahead. I hope we can all provide this for them in the days to come and make a donation to help Anthony's mom Laurie take care of arrangements."

To donate to the fund, click here.

Image Credit: Dan Libon