MANHATTAN, IL — Community members are stepping up in support of two Manhattan families navigating the loss of young boys, with fundraisers, meal trains and memorials.

A small town, standing strong together following the tragic deaths of 11-year-old Danny Bayles and 13-year-old Chance Hunnicutt. Bayles died after suffering a medical emergency; Hunnicutt was fatally struck by a semi truck while riding his bicycle in downtown Manhattan.

A GoFundMe to support Hunnicutt’s family has swelled to more than $38,000. Meal trains have been established to support both the Bayles and Hunnicutt families. Residents are encouraged to tie red and green ribbons around trees in the community—red honoring Danny with his favorite color, and green in honor of Chance.

Meal Trains

Manhattan District 114 has organized a vigil in remembrance of both boys, set for Thursday, Oct. 23, from 7 to 7:30 p.m. in the parking lot of Manhattan Junior High, 15414 Smith Rd. Attendees are encouraged to park at Manhattan Intermediate School and in surrounding neighborhoods.

“Manhattan District 114 invites our community to come together to support one another, to share comfort, and to find strength in connection,” the district said.

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A Manhattan mom who has experienced the loss of her preemie daughter shared guidance on how to be there for the families. Katy Landuyt, who started nonprofit Siblings Among the Clouds as a way to provide support to bereaved siblings specifically, stressed that the families’ needs for comfort and support extend beyond the first days and weeks.

“Right now they are flooded with food and donations, but as the days and weeks go on, people dwindle,” Landuyt said. “Let’s continue to remember the heartache these families are experiencing.”

The Landuyts’ daughter Sophie was born at just 24 weeks in September 2022, and died just a month later. The weight of the grief is all too familiar, and Landuyt felt compelled to share her words of wisdom on local social media group Manhappenin’s.

“I posted it in tears just thinking of these grieving mamas,” Landuyt said. “My heart goes right back to how I felt. So numb.”

‘Say their names.
Follow their lead, but don’t require them to voice the directions. If you start a sentence by ‘let me know,’ you have created a chore for them. Instead of asking them to let you know what they need, just do. Rake their leaves.
Cut their grass.
Shovel their snow. Drop off grief groceries (meal trains are great, but people need quick snacks full of protein or sugar!) toilet paper, essentials that ya wouldn’t think of as a grief need. If you’re signing up for the meal train, please try to make a home-cooked meal. There’s nothing like a real meal. Anything is nice, but with donations they can get Door Dash or take out. The energy to cook is nonexistent. Text and say ‘I’m at Target, tell me what you need from here or I’ll guess.’ It invites them to actually send a list to you.— Katy Landuyt

“It is incredibly hard to leave the house when you’re a newly bereaved family, or it was for me,” Landuyt said.

Tie red and green ribbons on your trees, she nudged.

“When our world was upside down and the community all wore lime green for NICU awareness, our hearts were filled with the support,” she sad. “It’s truly a small but powerful message.

“Grief never stops. Days later, years later. Be there now, AND be there later, too.”

A memorial erected near the site of the accident that killed Chance Hunnicutt. Courtesy of Katie Bernard-DennyVigil planned in boys’ memories

The Manhattan District 114 community has been moved to action amidst its grief.

In honor of Danny, his classmates last week wore red—his favorite color. Danny was a graduate of Trinity Lutheran Church Pre-School in New Lenox, and he also attended Anna McDonald Elementary School, Wilson Creek Elementary School, Manhattan Intermediate School and Manhattan Jr. High. He played the trumpet in the Manhattan Marching Band and the Manhattan Concert Band, and he was on the Manhattan School District #114 Fishing Club, his obituary reads. He also enjoyed gaming, especially Fortnite and Roblox, he was also a collector of T13 figurines. He was an avid reader and loved walking to the Manhattan-Elwood Public Library.

He “will be remembered for his light spirit, his sense of humor and his big heart; he loved everyone he ever met, and he was a friend to everyone.”

In the GoFundMe started to support the Hunnicutt family, Chance is described as “full of life, laughter, and love.

“… always by the side of his twin brother, Ryder,” the GoFundMe reads. “The bond they shared was unbreakable, and the pain of losing him is beyond words.

“… Chance’s light touched everyone who knew him — his smile, his kindness, his energy will never be forgotten.”

Visitation for Danny Bayles will be held Friday, Oct. 24 from 3 to 7:30 p.m., at Forsythe Gould Funeral Home, 507 S. State St. Funeral service will take place the following day, Saturday, Oct. 25, beginning with an additional hour of visitation beginning at 9 a.m. until his time of funeral service at 10 a.m. All services on Saturday will take place at Trinity Lutheran Church, 508 N. Cedar Rd., New Lenox.
In light of Danny’s spirit, the family requests that those attending any of Danny’s services dress casually and wear his favorite color red. In lieu of flowers, the family strongly suggests that donations be made in Danny’s name to the Manhattan Band Boosters, 15414 Smith Rd., Manhattan.

Obituary information for Chance Hunnicutt was not available as of early Wednesday afternoon.

A vigil is set for Thursday, Oct. 23, from 7 to 7:30 p.m. in the parking lot of Manhattan Junior High, 15414 Smith Rd. Attendees are encouraged to park at Manhattan Intermediate School and in surrounding neighborhoods.