LORAIN COUNTY — Powers Elementary School in Amherst held a memorial event for 9-year-old Alex Louks.
News 5 previously reported that Alex’s body was discovered in his Amherst Township home along with his mother's on Nov. 20 after firefighters responded to a fire at the house.
RELATED: Woman and child dead in suspected murder-suicide, house fire in Lorain County
Investigators with the Lorain County Sheriff’s Office believe the mother, Risa Louks, set the house on fire and then killed her child before dying by suicide.
According to court records in Henry County, Indiana, Alex’s father filed for custody in November. The court granted an emergency hearing to discuss the parents’ custody arrangements, and it was scheduled for Nov. 25. Alex died five days before the hearing.
Sunday, family, teachers and first responders came together to celebrate Alex’s life. Two communities grieving as they remember the kind of student and person he was.
“He loved to tell stories about animals and his puppy at home, which we later found out was a senior dog. So, Alex called the dog a puppy and we went with that, but he just loved to tell stories and play tag with his friends at recess,” said Math Teacher Julie Hammond.
Principal of Powers Elementary Brian Teppner shared personal stories of Alex, highlighting who he was as a person.
“Alex loved animals big or small it did not matter. One year I know that worms came into the building at one point in a classroom, because Alex is going to make sure that Alex saved the lives of those worms, and so they were in a classroom once,” Teppner said.
The school announced they will honor Alex’s life with a tree as a living memorial.
“This tree will stand as a symbol of growth resilience and the lasting impact of Alex's life as the tree grows its branches.[It] will remind us of the many ways that Alex's kindness, love and compassion extended to others,” said Superintendent Mike Moore.
Alex's father, Guy Louks, says hearing what Alex meant to everybody helped their family.
"Everything that's been shared, stories, memories, thoughts, prayers and pictures have meant a lot to our family. It has helped fill in a lot of questions," Louks said.
