BUFFALO, N.Y. – Last summer, the parents of two young boys were killed while hiking at Zoar Valley.
The boys, just 8 and 4-years-old, are now forced to grow up without their mom and dad, but the community continues to show an outpouring of support.
Linda Kornowski was at home in South Buffalo last August when sheriff’s deputies came to her door to tell her about the hiking accident that took the lives of her son and daughter-in-law.
"If you ask them, they'll tell you mommy and daddy's in heaven. They understand," says Kornowski.
William Green, his wife Amanda, and their sons Jacob and Alexander were hiking in Zoar Valley when they fell down the gorge. First responders found Alexander and took him to the hospital. Jacob was lost for nine hours. Kornowski says he survived because his parents taught him how.
"They raised the boys right. And, if they were still here, they'd still keep raising them right. And they're missed and loved a lot," she says.
The boys now live with their grandparents, they're in school, and enjoy spending time with their aunts, uncles, and cousins. Since the accident, the community has rallied around Jacob and Alexander.
26 Shirts decided to raise money for the boys with their latest shirt.
"It just breaks your heart, you know, to see the situation and 26 Shirts is all about the community wrapping its arms around people in need and this seemed like a family that could really use some love," says 26 Shirts founder Del Reid.
"Thank you everybody for helping us out," said Jacob Green on Thursday.
Kornowski says she is amazed by the support and that they even though they're little, her grandsons are strong.
"When I'm having a bad day, they know. They know. And when they're having a bad day, I know. And we lean on each other. Yeah. It's the only way I can get through all this is they help me and I help them. It's hard, but we do it," she says.
26 shirts is selling the “Kyle” shirts for three more days and will have a kiosk at the Walden Galleria this weekend. A percentage of the proceeds from that will also go to Jacob and Alexander.