Girl, 8, Dies Taking Food to Homeless Man

Spelled backward, her name reads "Heaven," and her uncle tells WoodTV that Nevaeh Alston "was a like a piece of heaven right down here on earth." The 8-year-old died Tuesday after she was struck by a car while crossing a street to deliver food to a homeless man in Grand Rapids, Mich., reports Michigan Live. Several family members are said to have seen the accident around 9:15pm. Nevaeh's aunt, Amber Hampton, says others had crossed the street ahead of Neveah and her mom. As the pair headed across, entering a turn lane, Hampton says Nevaeh suddenly "looked terrified and darted" into the path of a vehicle.

Police, who say speed and alcohol do not appear to be factors in the crash, found Nevaeh lying unconscious on the road. She died later at a hospital. At a vigil Thursday, relatives released floating lanterns in memory of the girl her aunt describes as "so thoughtful," reports Fox 17. She would give her clothes and shoes to friends in need and was bringing fresh fruit to a homeless man she'd seen the day before when the accident occurred, they say. "If all of us were more like her, this world would be so different," adds Hampton. A GoFundMe page has raised $8,600 for funeral expenses as of this writing. (More Michigan stories.)