HOLLY SPRINGS, Mississippi — UPDATE 9/9/2021: Funeral Services are set for Thursday and Friday in Holly Springs. Visitation is set for 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Holly Springs Funeral Home. Funeral Services at set for 11 a.m. Friday at First Baptist Church in Holly Springs. The burial will follow at Sidon Cemetery in Sidon, Mississippi.
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9/6/2021 - Donations are pouring in - along with an outpouring of emotional support - for the family of Marshall Academy's athletic director, baseball coach, and assistant football coach Bruce Branch.
He and his wife Abby's three-year-old daughter, Janie died Monday after being airlifted to Le Bonheur Children's Hospital in Memphis Saturday following a car accident in Grenada County, Mississippi.
"We are suffering. The city of Holly Springs, the community of Marshall Academy - there is suffering," Sarah Taylor, a Branch family friend, said Monday.
That suffering and support showed Monday at Marshall Academy before word of Janie's death, where people laid out signs and teddy bears at the Mississippi school's front entrance, along with balloons and flowers on the baseball field in honor of the three-year-old.
"Janie is a force of nature," Taylor added. "She is an incredible, incredible little girl and one of the toughest little girls that I know, and this doesn't seem really fair."
Janie was a Pre-K student and pee-wee cheerleader at Marshall Academy, seen in recent pictures proudly showing her enthusiasm and a big smile on the sidelines.
"She is the light of that school. She comes to every game," Taylor said.
Taylor launched a GoFundMe page Sunday morning.
The response was fast and undeniable, with more than $23,000 raised as of 3:00 p.m. Monday afternoon.
"The one thing that we can do is make sure that they don't lose their house and they can pay their medical bills, and that they don't have another devastating thing to worry about, because this is more than anyone should have to bear," Taylor said.
"It's been tough. It's brought a lot of people together," Marshall Academy Headmaster Tony Banks said, who organized a vigil for the Branch family Sunday afternoon at the school.
"To have one of our own affected, it's been tough," Banks added.
He said Janie's parents are leaning on their faith.
"Speaking on behalf of Bruce and Abby they are overwhelmed with the support, they are so thankful for it and we just pray for Janie," Banks said.
Funeral arrangements will be finalized in the coming days.