Wheaton police continue to investigate the death of Brady Daniel Doherty, 7, of Glen Ellyn, after he suffered a head and neck injury Sept. 30 at My Gym in Wheaton.
Brady, a second-grader at St. Petronille Catholic School in Glen Ellyn, died Oct. 2 at a hospital.
“[Brady] was injured after a fall from a zip-line-type play equipment and was transported to a hospital where he succumbed to his injuries,” Wheaton Deputy Police Chief P.J.Youker said. “The Wheaton Police Department is still investigating, but all initial indications point to this being accidental in nature.”
Residents in Glen Ellyn, Wheaton and other DuPage County communities have been tying blue ribbons around their parkway trees to show support for the Doherty family. The Glen Ellyn Lions Club has been distributing the ribbons and tying them around the trees of residents who submitted online requests after the club posted to its Facebook page that it was offering the service Oct. 4.
So far, club members have tied ribbons on the trees of 300 homes and still have 166 requests to fulfill. As of Oct. 9, the club is no longer accepting requests, but it will drop off ribbons at Paul’s Shoe Service in downtown Glen Ellyn, where they will be available for free until Oct. 12 or while supplies last.
Lions Club President Rachel Benning said she didn’t expect to have so many people reach out to request ribbons, but the club will try to honor all the requests it has received.
“A [club] member suggested that we participate and help spread the ribbons around the community, and I jumped on board wholeheartedly,” she said. “If I were in [Brady’s family’s] shoes, it would be helpful to see that kind of support in the community. Without [the ribbons], it would be hard to see or feel that support. Our club is happy to do this, and our community really supports each other. Brady’s father reached out online and thanked everyone involved and said he felt all of the community’s support.”
My Gym reopened for business Oct. 8. It had been closed since the accident out of respect for the Doherty family. Calls to My Gym were not returned.
St. Petronille Principal Maureen Aspell did not respond to a request for comment.
