Having to bury one's child is every parent's worst nightmare. For an Androscoggin County, Maine father, however, that is only part of the grief he is now feeling after a tragedy Wednesday morning.
At around 6:45 a.m. Wednesday, Kevin Capponi was finishing up with plowing his driveway while his son Nathan played on his scooter outside. It did not take long after he was done to realize that something had gone horribly wrong.
Kevin Capponi, 36, is believed to have accidentally run over his 6 year old son with his plow. State police spokesman Steve McCausland reported that Nathan Capponi was pronounced dead after being rushed by an ambulance to Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston.
"Nathan was a vivacious, vibrant boy who was always smiling," remembers Kim Spencer, Nathan's vice principal at Greene Central School. "He had a knack for putting smiles on the faces of students and teachers. He was a curious young boy, full of questions and comments."
Kevin Capponi, who graduated from the local high school in 1996, has had little to say on the tragedy, other than that he is not ready to make a formal statement about what happened. He did disclose one brief sentiment over the social networking sit Facebook.
"Please forgive me and my family. I love him with all my heart. It is now broken."
So far all of the reaction from the local community has been supportive. One comment on his Facebook page seemed to echo the feelings of many in the area.
"There is no forgiveness needed Kevin," wrote Christopher Miller. "Your family is caring and wonderful to be with. We feel joy whenever your family enters the room. You both look into the best for each other and the kids. Forgiveness is not what you should ask for at this time."
Grief counselors were brought into Nathan's school Thursday to help the children deal with the fallout from this accident.
