Pennsbury HS Senior Dies Christmas Eve

FALLSINGTON, PA — The Pennsbury School District announced the death of a senior at Pennsbury High School in a statement on their official Facebook page.

"I am saddened to report that one of our students, a senior at Pennsbury High School, passed away yesterday," the statement said. "As we process this tragic loss as a school community, our condolences go out to the student’s family and friends."

The statement, which was published on Christmas Day, was written by Thomas A. Smith, Superintendent of Schools at Pennsbury, and Reggie Meadows, the high school's Interim Campus Principal.

The student, Tyler Amberger, 18, was killed in a car crash that occurred on New Falls Road on Christmas Eve. A GoFundMe was set up for his funeral expenses and has raised over $28,000 for the $20,000 goal it was set for. His friend, Matthew Loftus, 17, died of his injuries at St. Mary Medical Center on Sunday.

"He was an athlete, a leader, a friend to many, and a loving son and grandson," the GoFundMe page said. "He touched so many peoples lives and deserved so much more life than he got."

The school district's statement said that school counselors, case managers, and members of the Keystone Crisis Intervention Team would be available for emotional support for students at Pennsbury High School East. They will be available on Monday, Dec. 27 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., and again on Wednesday, Dec. 29 at the same times. Until in-person classes resume at the school, where councilors will be available for all students to see in person, the school district is working on adding additional sessions via Zoom for students looking to discuss the tragedy and work through it.

"The loss of a student presents us with many questions that we may not be able to answer right away," they said. "If you feel that your son or daughter is having difficulty coping with this event, please let us know as soon as possible."

Smith and Meadows implore students and parents to find tools online to help them deal with this traumatic event, mentioning that sudden deaths like these can create emotional reactions and have lasting effects on students.

This article was updated at 4:26 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 27 after additional details were published about the car crash on New Falls Road.