07-03-2025
Community gathers at Springfield Fine Arts Night to honor, support local family
SPRINGFIELD TWP., Ohio (WKBN) – The Springfield community came together Thursday at Fine Arts Night, filling the auditorium at Springfield Intermediate School for Fine Arts — all in support of a local family.
It was to honor 15-year-old Jason Daff and his mom Angela Brown who were tragically killed in a car crash Monday evening. Jason's brother, Jayden, 12, is still fighting for his life in the hospital.
Their sister Peyton spoke publicly for the first time about the accident that took the lives of her brother and their mother.
'Thank you for everything you did for Jason. He really, really, really loved it here,' Peyton said.
'He was always so happy and with our mom is how he would have wanted to go. They were so attached to each other and they knew they would always be together in every lifetime. I'm glad they are together and everyone should be thankful no one is alone in this. We all have someone and we really need to stick together right now.'
A family member then took over reading Peyton's statement as she broke down.
'Jayden is the strongest kid I know. He is still in critical condition and fighting very, very hard,' said family member Kellie Neuberger.
The choir honored Jason, singing a song Jason was working on for a competition and the cheer team collected donations to help the Daff family as they travel to and from the hospital supporting Jayden.
'It just took everyone by surprise. It's very sad. He played a big part in this and he will be missed,' said Chance Richardson, a 10th grader at Springfield Local.
Though fine arts night almost didn't happen, Superintendent Rachael Smith says the kids rallied — all to honor Jason.
'They wanted to be able to use this day to celebrate Jason so for us to be able to do that, we cannot really even explain the gravity of what we know we're doing tonight for Jason in his honor and also for the family as part of the healing process,' Smith said.
Jason's also dad took the stage. There wasn't a dry eye in the auditorium.
'I always asked my son Jason what it was like to be up here and now I know. School was everything to him. He loved his friends, he loved everybody and he would be very proud that everybody's here,' Randy Daff said.
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