UPDATE: An arrest was made in the hit-and-run. NEW DETAILS HERE
As the search continues for the person and car responsible for the deadly hit-and-run of a 9-year-old boy in the Lehigh Valley Friday night, family and friends memorialized the young victim on Sunday.
In memory of Darius Condash, the boy's football teammates from the East Side Huskies wore red undershirts during their championship game in Allentown.
"I know he's smiling over us," said Darius' cousin D'Angelo Martinez. "He's here with us right now. He wants us to win and we're gonna win it for him!"
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Darius and his two older cousins went to the Wawa near Schoenersville Road and Route 22 around 6:30 p.m. Friday in Hanover Township. Darius bought his favorite candy, Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, from the store. As he was crossing the roadway he dropped one of them and went to pick it up. Suddenly, he was struck by a passing car which fled the scene, according to witnesses.
"I went past cars," Martinez said. "I saw lights and I was praying. I saw him on the floor laying there."
Darius was taken to St. Luke's Hospital in Bethlehem, where he later died from his injuries. An autopsy revealed that he died of blunt-force trauma.
Darius, who dreamed of one day playing in the NFL, died only two days before his football team, the East Side Huskies, played in the championship game. Darius' family encouraged the team to still play in his honor.
"This is what Darius would want," said East Side Youth Center Coordinator Mike Beck. "Darius would want these kids to be playing football today! He'd want to be here with these guys. So just to get out there and do it for them. Try to take their mind off of it."
The Huskies bowed their heads for a moment of silence before kickoff Sunday morning. With emotions running high, the Huskies held their opponent, the Northampton Concrete Kids, scoreless for three quarters. The Huskies were scoreless as well however and Northampton scored the game's only touchdown in the fourth quarter. Yet while the Huskies didn't get the championship trophy they still held their heads high, knowing their teammate would be proud.
"He's always with us," said East Side Huskies head coach Yussef Delvalle. "He'll always be with us! You know, in our hearts!"
The Concrete Kids joined the Huskies in a final tribute to Darius, releasing balloons in the boy's honor.
"He's still part of us in our hearts," said Darius' teammate J.D. Martin. "Forever and ever."
