LEROY | This close-knit community of fewer than 100 people drew closer Friday morning upon learning that the 6-year-old boy killed near Midway International Airport was one of their own.
Joshua Woods, a shy, blond-haired, brown-eyed kindergarten pupil at Winfield Elementary School, died at 7:45 p.m. Thursday at Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn. The Cook County Medical Examiner's office listed his cause of death as "compression and asphyxiation."
Joshua was riding with his parents, Lisa and Leroy Woods and younger brothers, Matt, 2, and Jacob, 4, when a Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 slid off a snow-covered runway at Midway and crashed into their car and another car nearby.
The younger boys suffered only cuts and bruises. Their mother "left the hospital against medical advice" because she was worried about her surviving sons, said Ronald Stearney Sr., who is an attorney for the family.
The boys' father remained hospitalized Friday with injuries to his face, neck and back.
Lisa Woods' brother, Steve Peters, drove to the couple's holiday-decorated green and white one-story bungalow to pick up clothing and other items the family might need while staying with relatives near the hospital.
"He was a beautiful child," Peters said of his nephew.
Peters said the family had traveled to Chicago Thursday to visit Leroy Woods' relatives. Their oldest son, Joey, was not in the car at the time of the accident.
"My sister is OK physically but not mentally. It's tough," he said. "She's hanging in there."
Neighbors and Winfield school officials voiced sadness and amazement about losing Joshua in an accident that has made national headlines.
"He was too young. It just isn't fair," said Terry West, whose family lives across the street from the Woods on Elkhart Place.
Their children often played together inside their homes or outside during nice weather on tree-lined yards far away from big-city dangers, West said.
"You worried about a car hitting them but not a plane," said the Woods' next-door-neighbor Bob Kretz.
He and his wife, Carol, said they had enjoyed seeing the Woods' children playing outside, particularly during the summer, when the friendly, active family first moved in.
Carol Kretz said Joshua, a tall athletic boy of few words, always struck her with his sweetness and friendliness.
"He had gotten some new shoes and came over to the house to show me... It's just so sad," she said.
Shortly before 8 a.m. Friday, Lisa Woods called Winfield Elementary School Principal Patricia Carnahan letting her know about the death of her son.
Carnahan said classmates, teachers and staff were all deeply affected.
"Everyone is very aware of the airport incident and we never imagined for a moment it would affect one of our own," she said. "When something like this happens, you're all moms and dads. It takes your breath away."
Carnahan said a crisis team in place Friday will remain at the school next week for students and staff who need grief counseling. Letters also were being sent home with students who were told the news Friday morning over closed circuit television.
What struck her most about Joshua, other than his big smile on a handsome face, was his closeness with his parents, Carnahan said.
"He was either in their arms or holding their hands. You could tell they had a strong love commitment," she said.
Times staff writer Allison Fashek and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
