On what would have been Molly Murphey Donovan’s 44th birthday, friends, peers and community members gathered to honor a mother and son gone too soon.
Just last Friday, Caitlin Browne and a group of moms who became fast friends when their kids attended Mamaroneck Central Nursery School celebrated Molly's birthday at the Donovan home. But Browne said Donovan insisted on making all the food and decorations herself.
"We said, 'This is crazy. This is your birthday. We should be doing all the work, not you,'" Browne said. "She’s so thoughtful, too. There was a mom there who was vegan and she had all these gluten and dairy free options with little toothpicks. I’m 18 weeks pregnant and she knows I love mezcal, so she found a mezcal mocktail for me."
Browne and the rest of the Mamaroneck Community Nursery School moms were shocked to hear that Donovan and her 6-year-old son Michael Volpe were struck and killed by a mini-bus while crossing Mamaroneck Avenue on their way to his kindergarten class Thursday morning. It was the last day of school for Michael, known as Mikey to his friends and family.
A candlelight vigil was held Sunday night in front of Mamaroneck Village Hall to remember Volpe and Donovan.
Molly Donovan remembered as smart and creative
Described by all as sweet and strong, Molly Murphey Donovan was a lawyer, interior designer and a single mom to Mikey.
"We were always in awe of her creativity," Browne said. "She made everything around her beautiful and extra special, and she gave Mikey the fullest life imaginable. She was just really smart, funny and fun to be with."
Jen Trucchio, a teacher at Mamaroneck Community Nursery School, and her son Thomas babysat Mikey for Donovan several times during his nursery school years. Trucchio said Donovan was "so calm and completely unselfish."
"She did everything just so effortlessly, working and being there for Mikey," Trucchio said. "Being around her was so calming."
Mikey Volpe liked to learn new things
As for Mikey, he was best known for his love of trains, Legos and knock-knock jokes.
“My mom first told me he was quiet and didn’t talk much. That wasn’t true at all," Thomas Trucchio said, laughing at the memory. "I met him when he was young, so he was still getting comfortable [with talking], but when you first met him, he talked a lot. He liked Legos and trains. He was a really nice, smart and funny kid."
The Trucchios said Mikey's favorite shows were "ones that always taught you something" like "Wild Kratts" and "Adventure Agents."
"He was just the brightest, happiest boy," Trucchio said. "He would teach me things. He would ask me questions and I would say 'Mikey, I don’t know. I have to Google that.' As soon as you would tell him, that’s it. That information would stay with him and he would never forget it."
His nursery school teacher, Olivia Walsh, said Mikey had a fondness and expertise for the New York City subway system and skyscrapers.
"He could tell you the subway system, which train you had to take to get to which area," she said. "He was an expert with Legos. We have these building sets in our classroom that are kind of tricky for some of the kids so they would always go to him and ask for his help building them."
In spite of the heat on Sunday night, Mamaroneck residents still turned out to show their support for the family. And despite a strong breeze, which made it hard for the candles to light, the community still found a way to "light" up the evening with cellphones instead of candles.
"This is an opportunity for us to come together as a community, which is something that we are so amazing at," vigil organizer Amy Siskind said. "In times of crisis and times of tragedy, this community always comes together."
Timothy Sandram, a fourth-grader at Mamaroneck Avenue School, attended the vigil to show support for Mikey, his former reading buddy.
“Somedays when we had reading buddy days, I would sometimes run to Mikey because he just was the best reading buddy," Sandram said. "When I heard the news, I started to cry."
His mother Ruth said along with counseling Timothy is receiving from the school, the family prays together for comfort.
Above all, the bond between mother and son was what struck those who knew them best.
"She loved Mikey so much," Browne said. "The bond that she and Mikey had was like no other and we can only thank God that they are still together."
