NACOGDOCHES, Texas — Nacogdoches Independent School District has revealed a 2019 graduate passed away following a vehicle accident on Sunday.
According to NISD, Elyssa Bellard and her mother, Quondalia Bellard, both died following the crash.
The district reports Elyssa's father, Dale, and her brother, D.J., are being treated at a Tyler hospital.
School officials did not give any additional details regarding the wreck.
NISD released the following statement in regards to the tragic accident:
We at Nacogdoches High School are concerned with our students’ reaction to this sad event. In order to help them adjust to the loss, our NHS counseling team will be on hand to support our students. We will call in additional support teams from Nacogdoches ISD as needed. Students will be allowed to visit our counseling center to receive support if needed before school starts and once school begins."
It would not be unusual for your child to express himself or herself differently during the next few weeks. Such an incident can have a profound effect on a student. Anytime death touches us it is extremely stressful. This death may be disturbing to you as well as to your child. For this reason, we especially want you to know of our caring and support. In addition, children may have had no experience in coping with a loss like this and may be confused as to how to handle grief. If you feel that your children are having difficulty, we encourage you to discuss their thoughts and feelings to help them work through their grief or concerns. Please also consider monitoring and discussing your children’s communications (social media, phone, e-mail, text messaging) to further assess their potential needs.
If you should need to talk with one of our team members, please be patient as they are responding to students. If it is an emergency, clearly indicate this to the receptionist so your call can be given priority.
Please be assured that assisting your child through this difficult period is our main concern. Thank you for your continued support. Funeral arrangements have not been finalized, more information will be forthcoming as we receive it.
Sincerely,
Dr. Rom Crespo
Principal
Nacogdoches High School
