Hilton Head community celebrates girl lost in tragic accident last Thursday
More than 500 people gathered Wednesday evening in Chaplin Community Park to celebrate the life of 11-year-old Charli Bobinchuck.
"None of us want to be here," Kyle Wallace said to the quiet crowd. "None of us want this tragedy to be real, but here we are."
Classmates out on summer break were reunited, friends caught up, tears streamed down cheeks, laughs echoed from bellies and Bobinchuck was remembered.
A table off to the side was set up. On top of the white table cloth sat framed photographs of Bobinchuck, a book for guests to write messages in, a basket full of letters for Bobinchuck's parents, Daisy and Bryan, and a blue money donation box.
The crowd was somber at first, hanging onto each word the speakers said, hoping it might bring them closer to the bright, loving girl they all loved but who was no longer with them.
Bobinchuck died on Thursday, June 21, after she was struck by a car while standing in a crosswalk on U.S. 278.
"She is inspiring us even now to love people, to touch their lives, to care about the environment, and to be a friend," Wallace said.
Bobinchuck loved animals, most of the photographs of her on display showed her out on the island playing with animals or with plants. She spent a lot of time with Critter Management, Inc., where she got to play with raccoons, snakes, alligators and other Lowcountry animals.
Dana Maffo and Jessica Kelly of Critter Management brought Bobinchuck's favorite snake and raccoons onstage and talked about the impact she made on every person she came into contact with.
"You're not going to be missed, because you're always going to be in my heart" Kelly said.
"All of our hearts," someone shouted from the audience. Claps broke the quiet in agreement.
Critter Management is creating the Charli's Critter Education Program in remembrance of her.
Bobinchuck will always be remembered in her elementary school, where she just finished the fifth grade.
Hilton Head IB Elementary School principal Sarah Owen said the school was dedicating the fifth grade legacy gift, an Angel Wings Project, to Bobinchuck. A pair of angel wings will be displayed in the school's front foyer with a note about Bobinchuck next to it.
"She used her wings and touched the lives of so many of us," Owen said.
When Bobinchuck wasn't playing with animals, she was playing the ukulele.
One of Bobinchuck's friends, Karrie Del Aguila, played a song on the ukulele she gave to Bobinchuck.
"I don't usually play for anyone else, but Charli got me to play for her," Aguila said before she played an original song titled "Beautiful Thing" with Tim Moore.
Later in the celebration, everyone joined in singing Bobinchuck's favorite song to play on the ukulele, "Somewhere Over The Rainbow," by IZ.
Mathew Palmer, Grace Community Church pastor, offered words of encouragement to everyone and read a Bible verse Bobinchuck's parents requested, Psalm 23. Friends of Charli read original poems, and longtime family friend Linda Prosser shared words on behalf of the family.
"I don't know how long I've known Daisy and Bryan, since before Charli was born," Prosser said.
She talked about Bobinchuck's fun-loving spirit and how she was a perfect blend of both of her parents, getting her artistic, free-spirited side from her mom and hardworking, patient side from her dad.
"They were successful in creating a beautiful human being," Prosser said.
Lastly, she said, the family wanted everyone to understand what happened was a horrible accident.
"No one is to blame. There is no blame," she said. "There is no forgiveness either because there is no one to blame. It's just a horrific circumstance that brought people together and brought us all here together today."
Bobinchuck's mother had made a post with a message to the driver of the car on her Facebook earlier this week.
The celebration ended with everyone carrying flowers from the park down to the folly, one of Bobinchuck's favorite places.
This story was originally published June 27, 2018 at 8:36 PM.