Re: Bus accident?
 

Like everyone here on this forum, everyone on Team 2486 would like to extend their sincerest condolences to the members, family, and friends of everybody on Team 3125, especially to those who knew and loved Vikas Parikh. Even though we are on the other side of the country, we will have a plaque in the memory of Vikas at our pit at each of the competitions we will attend. We sincerely hope that other teams will also take that small bit of time to help memorialize and remember Vikas.

Re: Bus accident?
 

My prayers are extended to team 3125. May God watch over you in this time of need.

I'm currently sitting in my room trying to think of things that we as FIRST could do for this team, and all teams that lose family members. I'm not saying true family. I mean those that are on the team. The students, the mentors, the parents, the actual families. We can all sit around saying "We will be praying for you." As much as our prayers help, and much as the consulship of the the Lord really truly helps people. We are just people that this team may never see. We are nothing more than a name to a picture. Is there anyway that we can do more?

Can we get each and ever individual competitions to hold a moment of silence for those teams that lose someone during the build season? To give all the teams stickers to put on their robots to remind them what can really happen, to remind them how lucky they are? There must be something we can do, and someway to get it done.


-Rion

PS. Does anyone know the address to the team? Or even the address to Vikas Parikh's family? I would like to send them a letter.

Re: Bus accident?
 

Many teams and non-team members in CT are supporting work towards creating new laws to mandate seat belts on buses that go on highways. If there were seat belts, this tragedy would not have occurred. I feel a great way to start is by talking to people in our state government as well as your senators and representatives in Congress about these laws as well. The more voices, the better.

Other than that, the only thing I can see at this time is to make everyone aware of the situation and see what they can do to help.

Also, according to the FIRST official statement (which, naturally thanks to Murphy's Law is nowhere to be found at this moment), a moment of silence will be held during every regional in honor of Vikas.

Re: Bus accident?
 

I am glad to hear this. :D It has calmed be quiet a bit. :D Thank you.

-Rion

Re: Bus accident?
 

On behalf of Team 987, we are praying for the best and give hope to the team that they all recover fully and that this experience make them stronger and more united.

R.I.P Vikas Parikh

Micheal E
Team 987

Re: Bus accident?
 

Team 341 has all of the affected students and their families in our prayers. Know that you have 1800+ FIRST teams around the world who are ready, willing, and able to do anything we can to help.

In FIRST, just as in sports, we sometimes memorialize our friends by wearing a badge in their honor on our uniforms (or robots). For example, this year the Philadelphia Eagles wore a "JJ" patch on their helmets for coach Jim Johnson, who lost his battle with melanoma; likewise, last year at Championships several teams put "Dave Beck" stickers on their robots to honor the great head mentor from team 103.

If team 3125 and Vikas' family feels it would be appropriate, I would be most honored to put a decal in Vikas' honor on our 2010 machine. I know that many other teams would feel the same way.

RIP Vikas Parikh

Re: Bus accident?
 

On the behalf of Team 178 from Farmington High School, I would like to offer condolences and prayers for the families of everyone who was involved in the accident, especially the family of the boy who passed away. RIP

Re: Bus accident?
 

On behalf of Team2170, Titanium Tomahawks, I would like to extend our sincere condolences to the FIRST family of Team 3125 and to all friends and family of Vikas Parikh. We would also be honored to participate in any memorial decisions by the FIRST community such as stickers on robots or moments of silence.

Re: Bus accident?
 

May peace be found, somehow, by all who knew Vikas Parikh as they deal with this tragedy. My heart goes out to team 3125 as they suffer and deal with losing Vikas and dealing with the injuries of the team members.

Sincerely,
Andy Baker

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On behalf of all the teams from the Pittsburgh Regional and the Regional planning Committee our thoughts and prayers go out to the families of this tragic accident.

Sincerely,
David J Dujmic
Chair: Team Development & Support

Re: Bus accident?
 

Please know that we are praying for your speedy healing. Our thoughts and prayers are with you and your families.

Re: Bus accident?
 

HARTFORD — - Teacher Richard Sams and his team of 16 students from the Greater Hartford Academy of Math and Science were excited as their school bus headed along I-84 toward a robotics competition Saturday about 8 a.m.

The Pirates of Pythagorean, as the team members dubbed themselves, were going to Farmington High School to watch a live feed from NASA describing a major robotics competition.

They had nearly reached the West Hartford line when they heard a loud thud.

"The driver couldn't regain control of the bus. We went over the guardrail and we were airborne. It happened just as quickly as that," said Sams, the team adviser.

"Kids were getting thrown all around the bus. I was thrown from one side to the other onto the floor," Sams said. He spoke from his East Haddam home Sunday, recovering from broken ribs, sprained ankles and the knee surgery he had earlier that day at St. Francis Hospital and Medical Center.

• Leave your condolences in our guest book for Vikas Parikh
• Poll: Seat Belts On School Buses
• Pictures: Fatal School Bus Crash On I-84
• Video: Fatal Bus Crash Update

After the collision with a Volvo station wagon, the school bus plowed through the guardrail between exits 45 and 46 and plunged down an embankment, stopping 20 feet below, according to the police report. The students were sent to four area hospitals, according to the police report, which also said there had been a fatality.

Later Saturday, friends and families of the students identified the victim as Vikas Parikh, a promising student from Rocky Hill. Most of the other students were treated and released, although at least one remained hospitalized Sunday.

Students streamed Sunday to the close-knit magnet school for grief counseling and an impromptu memorial gathering to try to comprehend what had happened and to remember their friend. Meanwhile, at least one legislator — state Rep. Antonio Guerrera, D-Rocky Hill — vowed to introduce legislation in the coming legislative session that would require that seat belts be installed on school buses.

Police have identified the driver of the Volvo wagon as Christopher Toppi, 16, of 38 Balsam Landing in Glastonbury. Toppi was taken to Hartford Hospital and released Saturday. He could not be reached for comment Sunday.

Police were still investigating the accident, and no charges had been filed.

Adam Santos, a student on the robotics team, remained hospitalized at St. Francis on Sunday with fractured bones. He "felt a bunch of bumps and, all of sudden, went flying," his father, Arthur Santos, said Sunday afternoon. "He got thrown from one seat to three seats in front," said the father. "He was one of the lucky ones."

Classmates remembered Parikh as a confident, friendly student who was kind to others and had a bright future. The youngest of three, he attended Rocky Hill High School in the morning and left for the magnet school at midday for more intensive scientific instruction. The magnet school, which attracts students from 30 suburbs in the region, is one of four schools that make up the Learning Corridor near Trinity College.

Sams, the teacher on the bus, said Sunday he thought that seat belts would have helped minimize injuries in the crash.

"Obviously it would have helped to keep students from flying across the bus," Sams said.

Terry Schmitt, a member of the board of directors for the Capitol Region Education Council that runs the magnet school, called Sunday for a prompt review of transportation policies. Schmitt, also chairman of the West Hartford Board of Education, said the looming question is whether there is a need to require all school buses to be equipped with seat belts.

"It's not an easy question to answer, but those kids that were hurt got thrown all over the place," Schmitt said.

In addition to Parikh, Sams, Santos and Toppi, information was available on only the following people involved in Saturday's collision:

•Bus driver Paul Burns, 44, of Hartford, was treated at Hartford Hospital and released Saturday.

•Russell Weeks, 14, of Portland, was discharged Saturday from the University of Connecticut Medical Center.

•Inol Santana, 17, of Hartford, was released Sunday from St. Francis.

•Jack Giesselman, 18, of Canton, was released Saturday from Hartford Hospital.

•Sameer Laul, 16, of Rocky Hill, was released Saturday from Hartford Hospital.

•Cody Harris, 17, of Rocky Hill, was released Saturday from Hartford Hospital.

•Justin Rutty, 17, of Wethersfield, was released Saturday from St. Francis

Re: Bus accident?
 

Prayers go out from myself and Team 1095 as well.

Re: Bus accident?
 

My thoughts and sympathies go out to the Parikh family and the team members. Having lost my older son early in the 2005 season, I can't begin to express the shock and devastation of such a loss.

Re: Bus accident?
 

The mailing address is:
Greater Hartford Academy of Mathematics and Science
FIRST Robotics Team
15 Vernon Street
Hartford, CT 06106

How about mailing cards of encouragement.