LEAGUE CITY, Texas – Family and friends of an 8-year-old girl, who died following complications from injuries she received in a car accident, gathered for a vigil in celebration of her life Sunday.
Kelsey Nalepa was pronounced dead Saturday. Kelsey was a passenger in a car involved in an accident Thursday. The collision occurred feet away from Ross Elementary School on West Main Street in League City, League City police confirmed.
"She was always smiling," said Loretta Myers, Kelsey's grandmother.
"She was truly gifted. She would have been somebody. She would have gone somewhere," said Glynn Myers, Kelsey's grandfather.
A fence outside Ross Elementary was transformed into a memorial for Kelsey. Friends and family wrote notes in memory, while others brought flowers and balloons.
Faculty at Ross Elementary organized a vigil Sunday night. Both Kelsey and her older brother are students at the school. Kelsey's mother is a teacher there, according to Kelsey's grandparents.
Kelsey's family told KPRC2 she had a personality that everyone loved. They said the memorial will help their family grieve, while keeping alive Kelsey's legacy.
"All the love and outpouring of support from this community. It's just overwhelming," Myers said.
A GoFundMe page has been created to help Kelsey's family cover expenses, click link to donate.