GARFIELD RIDGE — A day after 14-year-old Rosario Gomez drowned in a school pool, his classmates tried to piece the tragedy together.
"It's been difficult try to think about what has been happening for the past couple of hours," said Donald Stepanek, 14, after school at Kennedy High School Thursday afternoon. "In our first period, we were discussing it."
Exactly what led to Rosario's death in the pool is still unclear. Answers were scarce Thursday. Principal George Szkapiak directed all questions to Chicago Public Schools.
At 1:20 p.m. Wednesday at 6325 W. 56th St., Gomez was found unresponsive at the school after being pulled from the pool, authorities said. He was taken to MacNeal Hospital in Berwyn where he was pronounced dead.
CPS and the police department is investigating the circumstances surrounding Gomez's death.
A teacher at the school said the mood in the hallways has been somber. After hearing the news, students and teachers who knew Rosario cried.
An autistic boy with a love of trains and school, Rosario was known as a "bright young kid."
"Some kids are pretty sad about it," said Rafael Campos, a sophomore at the school. "They're wearing black to mourn his death."
The death shocked Kennedy parents as well, who say they want an explanation.
"I'm still upset," said Ginger Stuart, 32, who has two freshman boys attending Kennedy High School. "That could've been my kid. How did this happen? That's what I want to know."
Rosario's family has launched a GoFundMe page to raise money for his funeral.
"He was a child with autism, that was his uniqueness," wrote his aunt, Delta Juarez, on the page. "His autism was what made him strong, what made him unique."
"He loved trains, he loved taking the subway and going on trips in the Metra," Juarez wrote on the GoFundMe page. "He could tell you every stop from his home all the way to whatever destination you had."
Joseph Salas, chairperson of Kennedy's local school council, said parents should reserve blame until an investigation is complete.
"They shouldn't lay blame until they know exactly what happened," Salas said, who called the incident a "tragedy."
Rosario's family was not immediately available for comment Thursday, but the GoFundMe page set up to cover funeral costs offered a glimpse into the boy's character.
"He loved school and always looked forward to getting up and going. His family was addicted to his charming ways," the page says. "He loved to help grandma with anything she needed, especially since she has trouble walking. He loved going everywhere with his grandfather."
Donate money to help pay for Rosario's funeral here.
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