Cayden Christiano had been visiting his grandparents in Wisconsin when the passenger van crashed into the tire store, authorities said
Credit: GoFundMe
NEED TO KNOW
- An 18-year-old Florida teen died after a passenger van crashed into a Wisconsin tire store while he was visiting his grandparents, police said
- Cayden Christiano was preparing to enter his senior year of high school, according to a fundraiser
- Cayden’s father remembered his son as someone who “brought joy” to everyone around him
An 18-year-old Florida teen who was visiting his grandparents in Wisconsin died after a passenger van crashed into a tire store where he was inside, authorities said.
The crash happened shortly before 4 p.m. on June 29, when a passenger van drove into a Matthews Tire store in the Town of Grand Chute while the driver was attempting to park, striking several people inside, according to the Grand Chute Police Department.
Among those struck was Cayden Christiano from Parrish, Fla., who had been visiting his grandparents in Wisconsin and was preparing to enter his senior year of high school, according to the GoFundMe.
Cayden was taken to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Two other people were also hospitalized with non-life threatening injuries, according to the Grand Chute Police Department.
Hundreds of miles away in Florida, Cayden’s father, Tommy Dileo, said he was at work when he received the phone call.
“I was actually down at the UTC picking up a client. And that’s when I got a call from Scott. And he told me about the accident at the tire shop. And he didn’t make it,” Dileo told ABC7 affiliate WWSB.
Credit: GoFundMe
In the days since the crash, Dileo said he has been remembering the son who brought joy to those around him.
“He was just one of those kids, man. I mean, you couldn’t get enough of him,” Dileo told WWSB.
A fundraiser created to help the family says Cayden’s death has left his loved ones devastated.
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
“Our family is facing a heart breaking tragedy that no father should ever have to endure,” the GoFundMe states. “Yesterday, Cayden tragically lost his life while visiting his grandparents in Wisconsin when a vehicle crashed into the building where he was.”
The fundraiser says Dileo, a single father, is now facing the financial burden of bringing his son home to Florida, in addition to funeral, burial and other unexpected expenses. Organizers said the donations will allow him to focus on grieving rather than the costs associated with transporting Cayden home.
Cayden is survived by his father, Tom Dileo, his sister, Kylee Dileo, and his brothers, Zachary and Gage, according to the fundraiser.
Read the full article here
