Latest news with #PortugueseAmericanCitizensClub
Yahoo
15 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Community rallies as teenager killed in Portsmouth building collapse is identified
The Portsmouth community is rallying as the identity of the teenager killed on June 7 during a graduation party at the Portuguese American Citizens Club has become public. In an obituary posted by Memorial Funeral Home, Kelly Nevitt, 15, is described as "in every way, extraordinary." "She had a voice that could stop you in your tracks and a gift for performing that lit up the stage. Musical theater was her passion, and she shone in her favorite roles – the sassy Rizzo in 'Grease' and the spirited Sister Mary Lazarus in 'Sister Act.' Whether she was singing, dancing, or laughing with friends, Kelly's presence was magnetic," the obituary noted. An animal lover, Nevitt owned a dog and cat and "was known for her quick wit, big heart, and boundless compassion." "She was the funniest, kindest, most loyal friend – the kind of person who made everyone feel welcome and important. She had a special way of lifting others up, always reminding people how much they meant to her," according to the obituary. Nevitt is the daughter of Sharon Nevitt. Nevitt was killed when the concrete landing connecting an exterior stairwell to the second-floor entrance of the Portsmouth Portuguese American Citizens Club building detached from the main structure, trapping two girls underneath. The incident happened during a graduation celebration attended by about 75 people. Portsmouth police said on June 9 that the other girl trapped under the concrete, identified as a 17-year-old, was in critical condition. No update on her condition has since been released. Additionally, a 19-year-old woman from Little Compton was recently released from the hospital after being treated for her injuries, and a 46-year-old man from Portsmouth was not injured enough to be hospitalized. A 49-year-old woman from Merrillville, Indiana, remained in the hospital, where she was being treated for serious injuries. On June 11, a GoFundMe was started in memory of Kelly Nevitt. In the write-up accompanying the fundraiser, it was noted that Nevitt was a freshman at Portsmouth High School and that "her smile and contagious laughter could brighten anyone's day, and her spirit was full of hope, warmth, and compassion." As of the evening of June 11, the fund had received just shy of $5,000. Additionally, Portsmouth coffee shop Grafik Coffee announced on June 10 that it had made "Portsmouth Strong" stickers that would be sold for $10 apiece, with the proceeds to be split evenly among the families of the deceased and the injured. A day after that announcement, the business said that due to high demand, it had ordered another 500 stickers beyond the initial order of 2,000. St. Barnabas Church in Portsmouth has also announced that a Night of Remembrance will be held on Friday, June 13, at 7 p.m., which, while open to all, will give preferential seating to students. It will also be live streamed at According to the obituary, "A Celebration of Kelly's life" will be held on Monday, June 16, at 2 p.m. at Green Valley Country Club, 371 Union St., Portsmouth, "where friends and loved ones are invited to gather and honor the incredible life of a girl who gave us so much in such a short time." The obituary asks that "in honor of Kelly's compassion and creativity, donations may be made in her memory to The Newport Children's Theater, – continuing the love she so freely gave." This article originally appeared on Newport Daily News: Teenager killed in Portsmouth building collapse identified
Yahoo
17 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Community rallies around family of Portsmouth teen killed in collapse
PORTSMOUTH, R.I. (WPRI) — The Portsmouth community continues to reel from the sudden and tragic death of 15-year-old Kelly Nevitt. The teen was killed when a concrete landing outside the Portuguese American Citizens Club collapsed during a graduation party on Saturday. Four other people were also injured, including a 17-year-old who was left in critical condition. Nevitt was a 'bright and beloved' freshman at Portsmouth High School, according to friends of her family. 'Kelly was a loving daughter, a loyal friend, and a kind soul who brought light and laughter wherever she went. Her smile and contagious laughter could brighten anyone's day, and her spirit was full of hope, warmth, and compassion. Whether Kelly was expressing her passion for the arts in Colorguard or shining on stage, she touched the lives of everyone who knew her, and her absence has left an unimaginable void in our hearts,' they wrote on a GoFundMe page set up to raise money for the family. RELATED: Portsmouth community mourns teen killed in Portuguese club collapse As of Wednesday afternoon, the page had already raised more than $56,000. 'As her family faces this heartbreaking loss, we are asking for support to help cover funeral and memorial expenses, and to give Kelly the peaceful and memorable farewell she deserves,' the page said. 'No family should have to endure the pain of losing a child, let alone bear the sizable financial burden during such a painful time,' the message continued. 'We created this page to ensure that Kelly's family can take the time to grieve their unimaginable loss without the added financial worries.' According to her obituary, Nevitt had a passion for musical theater, a gift for performing, and a 'quick wit, big heart, and boundless compassion.' 'Whether she was singing, dancing, or laughing with friends, Kelly's presence was magnetic,' the obituary read. 'She was the funniest, kindest, most loyal friend – the kind of person who made everyone feel welcome and important,' it continued. 'She had a special way of lifting others up, always reminding people how much they meant to her.' A celebration of Nevitt's life will be held at 2 p.m. on Monday, June 16, at Green Valley Country Club in Portsmouth. Donations in her honor can be made to the Newport Children's Theater. Read the full obituary Police said about 75 people were inside the building when the landing collapsed. The cause is currently under investigation. The Portsmouth School Department has made counseling available to anyone who needs it. Download the and apps to get breaking news and weather alerts. Watch or with the new . Follow us on social media: Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Yahoo
15-Year-Old Girl Dead, 3 Hospitalized After Building Partially Collapses During Graduation Party: 'Unthinkable Tragedy'
A graduation party at the Portuguese American Citizens Club in Rhode Island ended in tragedy after the building partially collapsed on Saturday, June 7 A 15-year-old girl died, and three other people were hospitalized with significant injuries, according to reports from multiple outlets including NBC 10 Boston and 7 News Boston 'Words, neither written nor spoken, can express the sorrow with which we are all stricken,' the club said in a statement following the incidentA 15-year-old girl has died and three others are injured after a building partially collapsed while a graduation party was taking place in Portsmouth, Rhode Island. At around 5:34 p.m. local time on Saturday, June 7, police and firefighters received multiple reports of people trapped under a concrete stairwell that had detached from the Portuguese American Citizens Club on Power Street, according to NBC 10 Boston and 7 News Boston. "There were 75 people inside the building at the time, and it appears several were on the landing when it collapsed," CBS News reported, citing Portsmouth assistant fire chief Howie Tighe. A 15-year-old girl died, while two 17-year-old girls and a 49-year-old woman were rushed to Rhode Island Hospital with significant injuries, per the outlet. 'So the immediate rescue of two of the injured parties was pretty quick," Tighe told CBS News. 'They weren't necessarily trapped in a real complicated manner. 'Then there were the two that were significantly trapped, and obviously one of them took upwards of 45 to 50 minutes because of the amount of cribbing we had to do, trying to lift the concrete wall up because she was trapped underneath it,' he said. Around the time of the incident, Gov. Dan McKee said in a post on X that his team is 'closely monitoring the situation. 'Our hearts are with the Portuguese community and all those impacted. I'm deeply grateful to the first responders and praying for everyone's safety,' he added. Police have not formally identified the 15-year-old girl, per NBC 10 Boston. The building's stairwell has been removed from the grounds amid an investigation being led by the Portsmouth building inspector, according to the outlet. "We routinely practice building collapse scenarios and other scenarios, but when it occurs, it can be a stress point for them all,' Portsmouth Chief of Police Brian Peters told NBC10 Boston affiliate WJAR. 'It's standard practice for us in our department when we have a fatal incident or a critical incident that the town has been really good at having counseling available to us, and the men and women take advantage of that.' Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. A memorial for the 15-year-old girl, a Portsmouth public school student, was held on Sunday. Pastor David Chatowsky said he did not know the victim personally, but told WJAR that he "prayed for the parents and I prayed for the people that are hurt." "We have to help them out, we can do that through prayer, visiting them, and visiting them at the hospital and showing compassion," Chatowsky added. The Portsmouth Portuguese American Citizens Club shared their sympathy in a post on Facebook. 'It is with heavy hearts and great sadness that we acknowledge this unthinkable tragedy that has befallen our community,' the club's statement read. 'The Portsmouth Portuguese American Citizens Club has always taken pride in providing a venue at which our community can congregate and celebrate. 'Words, neither written or spoken, can express the sorrow with which we are all stricken,' the statement continued. 'Our thoughts and prayers are with all involved and affected. This tragedy has shaken us all to our core. They concluded, 'We would like to express a debt of gratitude to our first responders and law enforcement in the town of Portsmouth and neighboring communities.' Portsmouth police and Portsmouth's fire department did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment on Monday, June 9. Read the original article on People
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Yahoo
Teenager dead, 3 injured in partial structural collapse at Portsmouth Portuguese club
PORTSMOUTH – Authorities say a 15-year-old girl died and three other people suffered significant injury after a partial structural collapse at the Portuguese American Citizens Club during a graduation party on Saturday, June 7. Officials said multiple people were trapped when a concrete stairwell leading into the Power Street building collapsed. Police and fire crews from multiple communities responded to the scene where about 75 people had gathered for the evening celebration. The injured included two 17-year-old girls and a 49-year-old woman. All were taken to Rhode Island Hospital. No identities were immediately released. Gov. Dan McKee said on social media his office was closely monitoring the situation: 'Our hearts are with the Portuguese community and all those impacted. I'm deeply grateful to the first responders and praying for everyone's safety.' Said U.S. Rep. Gabe Amo in a similar post: 'My thoughts are with the family of the young victim killed and those injured in the tragic accident at the Portuguese American Citizens Club in Portsmouth this evening. Thank you to the first responders and local officials leading the response. My team stands ready to help in any way possible.' The incident is under investigation. This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Teenager dies, 3 injured in partial collapse at Portsmouth RI club
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Crews investigating partial building collapse in Portsmouth
PORTSMOUTH, R.I. (WPRI) — First responders from multiple departments are investigating a partial building collapse that happened at the Portuguese American Citizens Club in Portsmouth Saturday evening. Gov. Dan McKee posted about the incident on social media, saying his office is 'closely monitoring the situation' after a 'partial building collapse at the Portuguese American Citizens Club.' 'Our hearts are with the Portuguese community and all those impacted,' McKee added. 'I'm deeply grateful to the first responders and praying for everyone's safety.' A 12 News crew saw at the scene saw stairs in front of the building were visibly damaged. Power Street has been blocked off by the and apps to get breaking news and weather alerts. Watch or with the new . Follow us on social media: Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
