THE FOLLOWING IS A NEWS-GAZETTE STORY BY JENNIFER BAILEY
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DANVILLE — A South View Upper Elementary School teacher is remembering 12-year-old Christopher D. London as “everybody’s friend.”
Funeral arrangements still are pending at Leek & Sons Funeral Home in Danville for London, whose body was found last week in the Vermilion River. He went missing after swimming with friends on July 15.
Special education teacher Lindsay Lebo taught London when he moved to this area for fifth and sixth grade. He was new to the school district. His mother passed away and he came to live here with his father.
He would have been a North Ridge Middle School student starting in August.
“He was Mr. Popular,” Lebo said. “He was everybody’s friend, helping out in class.”
“He never wanted to miss school,” she too added.
He prided himself to want to have perfect attendance.
Lebo said he also was an excellent student, being nominated for a citizenship award.
“He was a great kid,” she said.
Leek & Sons Funeral Home is accepting donations for London’s funeral expenses. There will be a memorial service.
Funeral Director Roy Cummings II said anyone wanting to financially donate toward London’s funeral expenses can contact the funeral home or send a check with London’s name in the memo to the funeral home at 304 E. Williams St., Danville, IL, 61832.
After London was found, Danville Mayor Rickey Williams Jr. posted on his Facebook page, “Our thoughts and prayers are with Chris’ family, and we thank all of the first responders and the public for your assistance in the search.”
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