An 8-year-old jump rope champion who appeared on The Tonight Show was killed on Saturday after he was struck by a Jeep as he walked home from a fundraiser.
PEOPLE reports that Jeremiah “Jerry” Grant was the youngest member of the Honey Bees squad, a double dutch team that served as guests of Jimmy Fallon’s show in August. Grant hailed from New Jersey.
The child, who was affectionately known as “Prince Bee,” is being mourned by members of his illustrious squad.
“We all stopped at the corner and Jerry heard ‘go’ from another jumper and ran in the street,” Honey Bees founder Takeria Clark told The Jersey Journal. “The car was going so fast. It hit him so hard.”
Jerry was pronounced dead after being taken to Jersey City Medical Center. The driver, 60, initially kept going after he struck the child, unaware that he had hit the boy.
“I jumped on the street, went after the car. I was able to stop him and let him know he had to stop because he hit somebody,” Jose Pimentel told WNBC. “He said he thought he went over a book bag. He didn’t notice that he had hit a person.”
As of Sunday, no charges have been filed against the driver and speed does not appear to be a factor in Jerry’s death.
Loved ones of the beloved child have set up a fundraising profile on YouCaring to assist with funeral expenses.
Our condolences go out to Jerry’s family and friends.
