TURNERS FALLS — The family of Turners Falls resident Dylan Lapointe is collecting donations in the wake of his death, which resulted from a car that collapsed onto him due to the failure of a jack stand Tuesday morning.

According to his mother, Debi Lapointe, Dylan Lapointe was pronounced dead at 6:10 p.m. Saturday. Prior to his death, he had been cared for by Baystate Medical Center in Springfield after being airlifted. The family’s GoFundMe fundraiser, organized by family friend Susan Cousineau, looks to raise money for expenses including hospital bills and a memorial event, Debi Lapointe said.

Kyle Cogswell, acting deputy fire chief with the Turners Falls Fire Department, previously said his department responded at 10:11 a.m. Tuesday after a vehicle had fallen on top of a 30-year-old man who was working underneath it at a private residence. Lapointe never regained consciousness.

Lapointe could often be found working on cars, his mother said. A former employee at Greenfield’s Tire Warehouse who was self-employed when he died, Lapointe was passionate about “anything where he could work with his hands.” Such handiness, Debi said, was paired with a generous heart.

“He was very giving,” she said. “He would help anyone who was in need for those who asked him.”

Lapointe will continue to give, even as his life has drawn to a close. He was taken on the hospital’s “honor walk” Saturday, a ceremony that recognizes organ donors with an escort to the surgical unit by staff and loved ones.

“It just makes the passing of the person a little easier knowing he’s going to live on and help other people,” explained Debi, who hopes to meet the recipients of her son’s organs someday.

Lapointe’s honor walk can be viewed at bit.ly/3OpWj2U.

As of Sunday afternoon, Cousineau’s GoFundMe has raised more than $2,750 of its current $10,000 goal.

“I’m very humbled and grateful,” Debi said. “We have a strong family, so they’ll all rally, and I know he had a lot of friends who loved him and are upset that he’s gone.”

Aside from contributing toward the currently unknown cost of hospital bills, Debi wishes for the money to fund a “celebration of life” for her son.

“I probably want to use some of it to honor him at a celebration of life event so that his friends who didn’t get to see him off could come and share funny stories and whatever else they’d like to say about him,” she said.

Although overcome with emotion referencing the loved ones her son left behind, Debi’s optimism shone through.

“We’re going miss him, but he was a hero,” she said, referencing her son’s organ donations. “He’s going to live on in other people’s lives.”

Those who would like to donate to the fundraiser may do so at gofund.me/9464e08c.

Reach Julian Mendoza at 413-772-0261, ext. 261 or jmendoza@recorder.com.

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