Hamilton crossing guards rally in support of colleague on duty the day Jude Strickland was hit

School crossing guards and a school community are rallying together to support a crossing guard who was on duty the day 11-year-old Jude Strickland was hit by a pickup truck while walking home from school.

It's just a tough thing all over," said Michael Newell, a guard supervisor with the city's parking enforcement and school safety department. We feel terrible about the family, about the guard, about the entire situation."

On a snowy Dec. 1, Jude, a Grade 6 student at Templemead Elementary School, was crossing the street at a crosswalk at Upper Gage Avenue and Royal Vista Drive when a pickup truck hit him. He died two days later in hospital.

The school crossing guard, an eight-year veteran, was there when it happened.

She's doing as best as she can," said Newell, the guard's direct supervisor, when asked how she is doing. She is currently off work, he said. The city is not releasing her name.

On scene the day Jude was hit, a crossing guard could be seen near the site, wailing. She was tended to by police officers.

A driver who witnessed some of the incident told The Spectator he saw a quickly-moving truck come to a sudden halt, then saw a school crossing guard flailing their arms and screaming. A child, Jude, was on the ground in the middle of the crosswalk.

I can't fathom what she's probably going through," Newell said, noting he met with the guard shortly after the incident. It's just something that sort of tears at you."

Brandon Aubert, 28, of Hamilton has been charged with dangerous operation causing death. Police allege he was southbound on Upper Gage when he entered the intersection at Royal Vista, running a red light. Once in the intersection, police allege he also failed to stop for a crossing guard.

Newell said school crossing guards across the city, of which there are approximately 240, are mourning Jude's death and thinking of their colleague. Parents from Templemead have also been in touch with the city, wanting to send cards to the guard.

That makes us feel really good to know that guard has made the impact she has made in her community," he said.

Crossing guards are often close with the schoolchildren they help get to and from school, with guards knowing children by name and vice versa. When Newell fills in for crossing guards who are off sick, parents and kids often ask him where the guard is and tell him to pass on well wishes: Tell them I hope they feel better."

In some ways, that makes Jude's death all the more tragic.

It's not like it's just, I'm going to cross this child,'" Newell said. There's a relationship that's developed there as well as relationships that are developed with the parents."

Shawn McKillop, spokesperson for the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board, called crossing guards the caring adult in the community" who help children get to and from school safely.

Our thoughts are with the crossing guard who, like some of our students, witnessed the tragic event," McKillop said. We all share in the grief and sadness of having lost a respected and loved student. Our hearts go out to the Strickland family and everyone who is impacted by the loss of Jude."

The tragedy is having a sad ripple effect across the crossing guard community, too.

When something like this happens there's a sense or a feeling that they have let people down," Newell said. And that's just not the case ... I have never seen a more committed group of employees to ensuring that the children feel they are in good hands."

Jude's death has spurred the city to study possible safety changes near the intersection where the 11-year-old was struck and killed. Everything from adding photo radar to redesigning traffic lanes is being considered.

Newell said the city sometimes fields complaints from crossing guards about speeding drivers or drivers illegally turning right on a red light into a crosswalk. Such complaints, especially if a guard was able to write down a licence plate, are passed on to Hamilton police.

While he couldn't speak to any specific crosswalk being particularly bad, higher-traffic intersections tend to see more issues, he said.

Katrina Clarke is a Hamilton-based reporter at The Spectator. Reach her via email: katrinaclarke@thespec.com