Manatee raises over $47k for people killed, injured in fatal Parrish car crash
In the days since a deadly Parrish crash killed two people and injured two others, online fundraisers have drawn thousands of dollars in donations and community support.
The Florida Highway Patrol says the early-morning crash on Aug. 9 happened when a Dodge Charger carrying four people veered off Silverleaf Avenue near U.S. 301 and struck several trees.
The two people sitting in the front of the car, Sinohe Adan Jr., 19, of Palmetto, and Finn Scout Hammerl, 19, of Parrish, were killed in the crash, the Bradenton Herald previously reported. Two passengers in the back, 17-year-old Gavin Nuzzo of Parrish and a 16-year-old girl from Holtsville, New York, survived and were taken to a nearby hospital.
FHP has not released any additional details about the crash. As the investigation continues, friends and family are turning to fundraisers to honor the lives lost and help with funeral costs and medical expenses.
Parrish ‘peacemaker’ killed in crash
One fundraiser describes one of the victims as a “peacemaker” whose smile could light up a room and whose “big heart” touched countless lives.
“Finn always wanted to be that bridge,” his stepfather, Luke Zoetmulder, said. “He was the kid who told you to let it go. Don’t be mad. He was always the one who had to be the light in the room.”
That was Hammerl, a cherished son, grandson, brother and friend who, his family says, embodied kindness in the way he lived.
“He was the glue to everything,” said his stepbrother, Race Zoetmulder. “He could connect with anyone, no matter their background. He had no enemies.”
The day after the crash, his family said more than 100 kids gathered for a beach memorial on Anna Maria Island.
His compassion showed at an early age. At 14, his family said he donated all of his Christmas money and the earnings from teaching yoga to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital “because it made him happy to see others cared for,” Luke said. Another time, he urged his mother to call and donate after seeing a commercial about children in need.
“That was Finn,” Luke said. “So unbelievably smart and thoughtful. He just could not stand by when someone needed help.”
Hammerl’s family described him as “wise beyond his years” and an “old soul.” His family recalled a video of a 9-year-old Finn giving a 12-minute talk on “how to have a growth mindset.” “Kids don’t say things like that,” Luke said.
“If he got into something, he would study it almost obsessively,” his Luke said, recalling a time his stepson came to watch him play tennis and became interested in it. “Within like a year, he was captain of the tennis team.”
Hammerl poured himself into everything he loved. He played basketball and baseball, was MVP of his high school tennis team, and became one of the youngest certified yoga instructors in the country at around 13, according to his family. He cherished quiet mornings, often waking at 4 a.m. to drive to the beach and watch the sunrise by himself.
At home, his mother, Kyra, was his closest confidant. Luke said their connection was unlike anything he had ever seen: “Their bond, you’ve never seen a bond like the two of them. They just understood each other.”
Hammerl had begun pursuing his dream of becoming a pilot, following in the footsteps of his grandfather, uncle and great-grandfather. “He had already started flying a little,” Luke said, “and he wanted to travel the world to experience different cultures.”
In his memory, the family is creating The 24 Foundation, named for the number he wore in every sport, to support young people with mental health challenges. Luke emphasized it was not because Finn struggled, but because, “That’s how he was, he just cared about people.”
While grappling with the question “Why Finn?” Kyra summed up her son in one sentence: “He was too good for this world.”
A celebration of life was held at Bayside Community Church in Lakewood Ranch. The GoFundMe in his memory has raised more than $11,000 toward a $10,000 goal, with friends and neighbors contributing to help his family as they grieve and navigate life without him.
Luke said the support he and the family have received from the community has “been nothing short of amazing.”
Hammerl was inseparable from his two closest friends, who were also in the crash.
“The three boys were the three musketeers,” Luke said. “Schools are out, boom, they’re hanging out together. It’s the weekend, they’re hanging out together. It’s nighttime, they’re hanging out together.”
Family mourns ‘great sadness’
Among those inseparable friends was Adan. His family’s fundraiser shared the heartbreak of losing both boys in the crash.
“It is with great sadness that we announce the loss of our beloved family member and his close friend in today’s accident,” the fundraiser page said.
In the post, written the day of the crash, the family said they were still awaiting updates on the conditions of the other friends who were with him that night. Out of respect for those families, they asked for understanding as they process their grief.
The obituary for Adan thanks the community for its “numerous expressions of sympathy and support” and describes the “precious gift” of his memory as something that will guide his loved ones through the “shadows of sorrow.”
Visitation was held at Groover Funeral Home at Mansion Memorial Park in Ellenton, followed by a funeral service at Holy Cross Church in Palmetto and a graveside service that day at Mansion Memorial Park and a celebration of life at the Manatee County Fairgrounds, according to an obituary.
The GoFundMe for his family has raised more than $9,000 toward a $10,000 goal to help with funeral costs and allow the family time away from work.
Crash victims on path to recovery
While some families are holding memorials, others are focused on long recoveries.
In a hospital room miles away, Manatee High School lacrosse player Gavin Nuzzo, 17, is beginning his senior year from the intensive care unit. Nuzzo’s senior year, his family wrote, “was supposed to begin with excitement and promise.” A standout Manatee High School lacrosse player, Nuzzo had just committed to Northwood University in Michigan and “was ready to chase his dream.”
Instead, his family writes, “a tragic car accident has changed everything,” leaving him with “a long battle ahead.”
“Right now, his biggest goal is recovery,” the GoFundMe reads. It says his loving parents have been by his side every step of the way, which means time away from work and the added worry of covering bills and daily expenses.
“The last thing they should have to worry about is how to cover bills and daily expenses,” the organizer wrote, asking for support to allow the family to focus entirely on helping Nuzzo heal and continue toward his dream of playing college lacrosse.
The GoFundMe has raised more than $27,000 toward a $20,000 goal, with hundreds of donors offering encouragement for him and his family.
As of Wednesday afternoon, the three fundraisers had together brought in nearly $48,000.
