HAMBURG, N.Y. (WKBW) — The holidays can be a difficult time for many people.
The Walshes know all too well.
After suffering an unimaginable loss on Thanksgiving seven years ago, their family has persevered and grown. Patrick and Kathryn Walsh of Hamburg are sharing their story of grief, faith and healing with their community.
On Thanksgiving Day 2018, the Walsh family was preparing for a holiday gathering when the unimaginable happened. Patrick was moving his car in their icy driveway while James, who always rode with his father, ran outside to join him.
"James always drove with me and so he probably figured I was driving separate," Patrick said. "It was a snowy day. The driveway was icy. From what we can gather, he ran, slipped on the ice coming up to my vehicle and went under it as I was backing up."
James did not survive the accident. He was five.
"Those days after were just impossible," Patrick said. "I couldn't stop crying, couldn't eat, couldn't sleep."
WATCH: Hamburg family finds hope after tragic loss of 5-year-old son
The tragedy made national news, adding to the family's pain during an already devastating time. Kathryn feared for her husband's mental health in the immediate aftermath.
"She was so scared I was gonna like kill myself, she had people following me around the house," Patrick said.
But hope came through an unexpected moment of faith. Two days after the terrible accident, the family picked out a burial plot for James. While lying in bed after, Patrick said he experienced a spiritual encounter that changed everything.
"I said a prayer, I said, 'Lord, I need to know this is real. I need to know if James is in heaven with you.'" Patrick said. "And I felt Jesus and James come down and lay with me in my bed and I felt like the weight of the world come off my shoulders. Like I knew it was real. I knew he was there, and I fell asleep. I woke up the next morning and I had hope."
That hope, rooted in their faith and belief in salvation, became the foundation for their healing journey.
"The hope of salvation and going to heaven and seeing your child again gives you hope that this life is not the only thing, right? We're gonna see him again," Patrick said.
The couple found strength through multiple sources: their deep faith in God, their love for each other, community support, therapy at their church, and long walks that helped Kathryn process her grief.
"I had a hard time sitting across from somebody and just talking about it, but I'd say, well, go for a walk with me," Kathryn said. "So we walked a lot. I walked a lot with many people that year."
They remember James as a funny, kind child who loved sharing his toys with others. The family has since grown with two more children, Joy and Ben, and they continue to honor James' memory during holidays by watching old videos and visiting his gravesite, which features a bench and a Hot Wheels track.
"It's such a funny thing, grief. Like you don't want it to be easy because you don't wanna lose the memory of that person," Patrick said. "But at the same time, as time goes on, you see the joy in the other things and your other blessings. And you find a way to kind of get through it and enjoy it."
"And you're moving forward with your person that you're missing," Kathryn said. "They're always there."
"James is always with us," Patrick said.
Patrick will share his family's story on Tuesday at 7 p.m. at Revive Wesleyan Church, located at 4999 McKinley Parkway in Hamburg. The event will also be livestreamed on the church's website at https://live.revivewesleyan.com/.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
