Local softball community unites to support girl who survived crash that killed father, siblings

BEAVER COUNTY — The softball community is standing united in the face of tragedy. Dozens of softball teams took part in a tournament to support an 11-year-old girl who survived a car crash this summer.

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Aubrey Bogacki’s softball team has been cheering her on in every way during her recovery.

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“There’s a lot of support behind me and everything and it just feels good,” Bogacki said.

Saturday, Bogacki got to be their cheerleader from the sidelines.

“She’s making everyone laugh already,” said Bogacki’s cousin Taytum Hepak, 11. “She came over and said, ‘Good job’ to me.”

Mark Fitzgerald is Bogacki’s coach for Steel City Athletics.

“She seems upbeat and happy and happy to be around her friends,” Fitzgerald said. “She was just light of life in the dugout today whenever she showed up for the game.”

More than 60 softball teams from across the country came together on the Beaver County diamonds to play in the benefit tournament for the Bogackis.

The games celebrate how far Aubrey Bogacki has come while honoring her late sister Emma and brother Grant who both also loved the sport.

Emma Bogacki, 17, played ball for Silver Creek.

“Emma would always just do cheers for us, keep our team spirit up when we were down,” said Cadence Lucas, 12. “We had this goal if we won, we’d do a TikTok, and she recorded it. She helped us make it. She helped our spirit up.”

Friend Klara Clear, 12, agreed.

“When we were losing sometimes, it could just be by one, we’d all get upset and have our heads down so then we wouldn’t play that well,” Clear said. “She’d come in and she’d just start cheering like it was her own team; it was her own game.”

Friend Jordyn McGee, 11, said Emma left her a special message that meant a lot to her.

“She left me a voice message that says, ‘Stay positive,’ and tells me what to do when I get upset,” McGee said. “It’s really hard to look at sometimes because everyone misses her and Grant so much.”

Grant Bogacki, 13, played TC Crew baseball and other sports.

“[Grant] loved fishing, just loved the outdoors,” said his uncle David Syka. “He was one of them kids that make anything out of anything, high spirited as well, lovable.”

On July 20, Emma, Grant and their father Nathan Bogacki tragically died in a car crash in Slippery Rock Township in Lawrence County. Aubrey Bogacki was also in the car but survived.

Her uncle said she beat all odds and continues to persevere.

“Just full of energy, positive spirit, just typical 11-year-old girl that’s unfortunately had to deal with a tragedy but she’s making the best of it,” Syka said.

Although she has endured unimaginable loss, Aubrey Bogacki is looking toward the future. The pitcher and third baseman is hoping to get her body brace off soon so she can join her teammates on the field.

“Everything’s healing good and I might be getting it off Wednesday,” Aubrey Bogacki said.

The charity tournament continues on Sunday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

To help support the family, donations can be made to their GoFundMe.

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