COLUMBUS, Ind.–When Aviation Day 2018 took to the skies on June 9, the Sperry family enjoyed a day full of fun together after their dad, Joey, had recently deployed to Australia in the Indiana National Guard. Hoping to give the kids another nice day out together, the mother took Brendan, age 6, and the family to Mill Race Park last Thursday for a few hours to relax, not knowing that tragedy awaited. By 3 p.m. that afternoon, the little boy had been swept away by the river. The child’s body was recovered on Saturday morning.
His grandfather says that Brendan had recently graduated from kindergarten after moving with his family to Columbus from Crawford County about a month ago. The boy was described as being very rambunctious and loved to play football. However, Aviation Day gave Brendan the chance to touch his dreams of someday joining the military like his dad and uncle. Brendan’s father returned home Sunday.
The first of two funeral services will be held Thursday morning at 11 a.m., at Barkes, Weaver & Glick Funeral Home, on Washington Street, in Columbus. Visitation is from 9:30 a.m., until the time of service. Also, on Friday, at Crawford Consolidated United Methodist Church, in Leavenworth, Indiana, family and friends are welcome from 11 a.m. to noon, when the service begins. Burial will be at Fredonia Cemetery, in Fredonia, Indiana.
The family has set up a Gofundme campaign to help with funeral expenses for this young life that was cut short: https://www.gofundme.com/xbkzt-brendan-sperry-funeral.
