'He had a big heart': Fundraiser to help Racine mother after death of son

RACINE (CBS 58) -- A community came together to help a mother in mourning after the unexpected death of her son.

"Oh, it's been overwhelming. I'm getting through, but it's been sad," said Kari Pavia of Racine.

Dylan Pavia, 19, was killed in a car accident in Raymond on May 2. According to the Racine County Sheriff's Office, he was driving on County Road U near Seven Mile Road when he lost control and veered into oncoming traffic hitting another car.

Dylan was ejected from the car he was driving.

"Three officers came to my house to tell me that he had passed away,” Kari said. “I bent down and was like no, no, no."

Dylan’s untimely death has been too much for his single mother to bear, alone. To help with funeral costs, Main Hub, a bar where she's employed, held a fundraiser.

"It's kind of a no-brainer, we never really even thought about it,” said Jenni Sailor, manager at Main Hub. “I knew that she was struggling like a lot of people do in the service industry and we wanted to make sure that she was able to give Dylan the proper burial."

Kari said she’s grateful for the support. "All in a week, there's I don't know how many raffle items. It's amazing what the community can do in such a short time."

However, as Mother's Day approaches, she can't help but to feel the void.

"I feel it today, the impact of it,” she said. “He was a big-spirited boy, he was an old soul…He had a big heart.”

Dylan was laid to rest on Friday. He leaves behind his grandparents, mother and father, also many friends.

If you're interested in making a donation towards the funeral expenses, contact: https://www.facebook.com/mainhubracine/.