SPENCER – A fund has been started for the 12-year-old son of Rene Lavallee who died in a car crash on Rt. 49 in East Brookfield.
Lavallee, 48, of Spencer, was struck head-on in his 2005 Dodge while driving north on Rt. 49 around 11:30 AM on Tuesday, July 23. Lavalee, and Joseph Nardone, 61, of Leicester, both died in the crash. Three others were seriously injured.
Nardone was heading south on Rt. 49 when he tried passing another vehicle, resulting in colliding head-on with Lavallee’s Dodge.
In the week since Lavallee’s death, the Michael (Mikey) R. Lavallee Fund has been started to help cover any financial needs Lavallee’s son Mikey may have in the future — including a college education.
In a Facebook post [see below] from family friend Crystal Letendre, Letendre describes the relationship between Rene and Mikey as “a bond that went far beyond a father/son relationship. They were an inseparable pair that depended on each other for support, assistance, guidance and most importantly love.”
“Rene had high hopes and dreams for Mike and did everything conceivable to make those dreams a reality. In the spirit of remembering Rene, let’s help Mikey reach the goals that Rene desired for his son,” the post read.
According to Mikey’s mother, Danielle Lambert, her son would like to use some of the money raised to promote and encourage the state to consider making the stretch of Rt. 49 where the accident occurred into two lanes to avoid passing.
“The speed limit is 50 [MPH] on that road and people drive like it’s a race track, doing 90 to 100 miles per hour. And look at the families that suffer for it. Now my 12-year-old son [has to] because someone was in a hurry to go nowhere,” Lambert told TWIW on Wednesday, July 30.
According to Lambert, her son would also like to reach out to the Massachusetts State Police and East Brookfield Police to request extra patrols on that stretch of Rt. 49.
“[The extra patrols and lane addition] would be something, anything. But the heartache [Mikey is] feeling, and as a mom to watch him go through this and not say or do anything to take the pain away is awful. Only time can tell [if changes on Rt. 49 are made],” Lambert said.
Contributions to the fund can be made to the Michael(Mikey) R. Lavallee fund c/o Cornerstone Bank. 176 Main St Spencer, MA 01562.
Lead photo: Rene (left) and Michael Lavallee/Facebook
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