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Orleans Co. town holds vigil for mom, son, and others

"The outpouring of support has been overwhelming. It's more than I can ever hope for. I'm sure Jo and RJ are really proud," Paulette Gilman, Joan Gilman's sister-in-law, said.
A candle shines at a vigil in Kendall. Photo by Ben Read, WGRZ.

KENDALL, N.Y. – A small town in Orleans County showed up in a big way Sunday night to be there for one another in a time of unprecedented tragedy.

Kendall, which has a population of about 3,000 people and graduating classes of around 60 students, has lost nine people in eight months, all with ties to the school district.

Two were students, several were parents of students, and one was a school staff member’s son.

The two most recent are Joan Gilman, 38, and her son Richard (who went by “RJ”), 14. They died suddenly about two weeks about from carbon monoxide poisoning in the duplex home they shared with David Wiley Jr.

Wiley Jr. is charged with negligent homicide and reckless endangerment. The power had been cut off to the house, and the Orleans County Sheriff’s Office said Wiley ran a generator in a closed garage, which was below Gilman’s bedroom.

Paulette Gilman, Joan’s sister-law, partook in Sunday’s vigil.

“He loved to be fishing with his cousins, he loved video games, playing pranks on all of us,” she said of her nephew RJ.

She used to talk to Joan every day.

“She was on our bowling team. We bowled every Thursday. And she loved to read and cook, and she was always trying new recipes off of Facebook and bringing them over,” Gilman said about Joan.

Sunday’s vigil drew a big crowd, all of whom shared messages on whiteboard filled with photos.

Pastor Steve Meyer of the Concordia Lutheran Church.

“The outpouring of support has been overwhelming. It's more than I can ever hope for. I'm sure Jo and RJ are really proud,” Gilman said.

Pastor Meyer invited his congregation to the vigil, too, so that everyone could support each other.

“The student body here has shown a real amazing resolve to grow and support one another. In a small district like Kendall, with a graduating class of around 60 students, the sheer number of deaths that we've had has been staggering for the student body,” Meyer said.

"I still pick up my phone and want to text her. You know, have them come over for dinner and staying out. It's tough,” Gilman said.

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