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Gold Star Father ID'd As Victim In Fatal Western Mass Crash

The Massachusetts father of a soldier killed in Afghanistan died earlier this week after being hit by a car while on his way to deliver an award in his son's honor, his family said.

Michael Demarsico

Michael Demarsico

Photo Credit: Facebook/Michael DeMarsico

Michael Demarsico, 63, of North Adams in Berkshire County, was crossing Route 8 to go to the Bounti-Fare restaurant in Adams on Sunday, Nov. 17, just after 5 p.m. when a car struck him, authorities said.

Demarsico was pronounced dead in the back of an ambulance en route to Berkshire Medical Center, the Berkshire County District Attorney's Office said.

The driver of the car that hit Demarsico remained at the scene. Police have not filed charges, and it appears to have been a tragic accident. The crash remains under investigation.

Michael Demarsico was a Gold Star father of U.S. Army Spc. Michael DeMarsico II, who was killed in Afghanistan in 2012 in an IED attack at age 20. Michael Sr. was on his way to present an award in his son's honor to a youth football player in North Adams when he was hit and killed.

A GoFundMe for Michael Sr. has raised more than $26,000, nearly triple its original goal of $10,000. The money will be used to pay for his funeral and bills. 

His son Adam thanked the community for easing the burden on his family.

"I can’t even fathom the generosity of this community, my co-workers and friends," he wrote. "You have no idea how much this means to me and our family. We love and thank every single one of you from the bottom of our hearts. We just know Dad is smiling down, and the stress is a little lighter on my mom’s shoulders."

Click here for more information on the GoFundMe.

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