Community raises money for family of 6-year-old who died from Bacterial Meningitis

PACOLET, S.C. (WSPA) – Two communities came together Saturday evening to raise money for an Upstate family who lost their son to Bacterial Meningitis.

The Riding for Jesus Cowboy Church planned its annual Trunk or Treat.

The event organizer, Kelli Hyatt said once they found out about the severity of Wesley Gossett’s Bacterial Meningitis diagnosis she questioned whether or not they should continue.

Within a few days, Gossett passed away at 6 years old from Bacterial Meningitis.

Hyatt asked her husband “Do we need to cancel it? I don’t think that’s what we should do.”

Instead, she spent the following two weeks making it the best trunk or treat ever.

“He would have loved it,” she said.

Hyatt quickly decided to turn the Trunk or Treat into a fundraiser for the Gossett family by having a hotdog and bake sale.

During the event, the church was able to raise $3,618. All proceeds went directly to the Gossett family.

“The Chesnee and Pacolet communities went above and beyond for this event,” Hyatt said.