'Our Hearts Are Broken': Farmingdale Sends Support To Ohio HS Involved In Fatal Bus Crash

FARMINGDALE, NY — The Farmingdale School District is sending its support to the Tuscarawas Valley Local School District in Ohio after its high school was involved in a deadly bus crash on Tuesday morning — nearly two months after Farmingdale was rocked by its own tragic bus crash.

A charter bus carrying students from Tuscarawas Valley High School was rear-ended by a semi-truck on an Ohio highway Tuesday morning, leaving six people dead and 18 others injured, 10 WBNS reported. Three students were among those killed.

Farmingdale Superintendent Paul Defendini sent out a message with a "heavy heart" to the community.

"You may have read that a charter bus transporting students in Ohio was rear-ended by a semi-truck while traveling on I-70 West," Defendini wrote in a letter obtained by Patch. "Our hearts are broken for our sister district, Tusky Valley, over this tragic event."

Two Farmingdale educators — Gina Pellettiere, 43, of Massapequa, and Bea Ferrari, 77, of Farmingdale — were killed on Sept. 21 when a bus carrying them and high school marching band students crashed and tumbled down a 50-foot ravine. Several students were injured, some critically. The bus was heading to Greeley, Pennsylvania for the school's annual band camp.

The community rallied around all impacted by the bus crash with fundraisers, support and love. But while the tragedy brought Farmingdale together, the Ohio bus crash serves as a grim reminder.

"We are all keenly aware of how this could impact our families here in our schools," Defendini said.

Farmingdale is taking "immediate steps," including plans to support students with any reaction they might have to the Ohio bus crash.

"We are fully aware and very sensitive to the fact that this will likely trigger many of our students and staff in our schools," Defendini wrote.

The district is also delaying its Season of Thanksgiving, according to Defendini. It had three events lined up where the district planned to thank everyone involved in aiding its students and staff during their time of need. The first event was scheduled for Wednesday but has been postponed to an undetermined date. The district planned to celebrate all of its local heroes: first responders and emergency workers; school PTA and staff who will be represented by PTA and union leadership; chaperones who planned to serve Farmingdale students at band camp; local counseling centers who volunteered in the schools; and local businesses that donated food to the schools and counseling center.

The district plans to re-establish its counseling center at Howitt Middle School from 5 to 8 p.m.

"This will be open to all community members who need to unpack this most recent event," Defendini said.

Defendini said he will reach out to the superintendent of the Tuscarawas Valley Local School District to see if it can offer assistance, seeing if there are specific items needed.

"I am fully aware that we have had our fair share of trauma in this first part of the school year and we are all tired and worn down," Defendini said. "I am reminded in these moments that our lives are like airport terminals. No matter how difficult things may seem, the planes keep landing. We handled this before and I have no doubt that the strength of this community will once again hold up in the face of this recent tragedy. Stay strong Farmingdale, and remember that as long as we stick together and support those that need it, we will prevail."

Five vehicles were involved in the Ohio crash, including a Pioneer Trails charter bus that was transporting students from the Tuscarawas Valley Local School District in eastern Ohio, Licking County Emergency Management Agency Director Sean Grady said. There were a total of 57 people onboard, he said.

The Ohio crash victims were identified as 18-year-old John Mosely, 18-year-old Jeffery Worrell, 15-year-old Katelyn Owens, 56-year-old Dave Kennat, 39-year-old Kristy Gaynor and 45-year-old Shannon Wigfield, 10 WBNS reported.