GROSSE POINTE, Mich. (WXYZ) — The community is remembering two boys, ages 9 and 11, who died in a house fire in Grosse Pointe on Monday morning.
They are putting "sticks out" in honor of the boys, by placing hockey sticks at night on their front porch. The hashtag people are using is "sticksoutforloganandbriggs."
Police say the boys are 9-year-old Logan Connolly and 11-year-old Walter B Connolly.
The tradition honors hockey players, and was popular across the world when the Humboldt Broncos lost 10 players, two coaches and five other people in a crash in April 2018.
The family was a member of the St. Clair Shores Hockey Association, and the group will hold a prayer service for the family on Wednesday at St. Paul on the Lake at 6 p.m.
The Grosse Pointe Public School System said they were students at Richard Elementary School.
7 Action News has also learned from multiple sources that the boys called their mom when the house started filling up with smoke. That's when she came back and found their home in flames.
On Tuesday, police said fire investigators confirmed that the blaze began in the kitchen of the family’s home. Investigators will now be trying to determine the cause of the fire and whether there was an electrical problem or something wrong with an appliance.
Officials say the two boys were found in the upstairs bedroom during the three-alarm fire.
A statement was also released by a Connolly family friend:
The Connolly family would like to express their heartfelt gratitude for the overwhelming support and kindness from the community. From the basic necessities to the incredible financial donations, the family has been humbled by this communities generosity. The family would greatly appreciate privacy at this time.
A vigil will be held at St. Paul’s on the lake tomorrow, Wednesday 30TH, at 6 p.m. A memorial is being organized for Saturday, (time to be determined) at the Grosse Pointe Academy. All those who would like to celebrate the lives of these two beautiful boys are welcome.
