Published: November 10, 2008 10:40 pm      

NIAGARA COUNTY: Hartland fire victims honored

It was standing-room-only Monday morning as family and friends packed the halls at Prudden and Kandt Funeral Home in Lockport to say goodbye to three young brothers who perished in a house fire last week.

In the main room, family members and friends surrounded three small caskets, each adorned with flowers and pictures of siblings Davon Jenkins, 8, Camron Jenkins, 6, and Daydon Alston, 5.

The boys perished late Nov. 3, when a fire consumed a family home on Bishop Road in Hartland. Their grandmother, Leona Heigl, who was baby-sitting them, escaped the fire, suffering burns and smoke inhalation.

The boys left behind several friends and family members, including their mother, Sondra Heigl, along with Winston Jenkins — the father of the two oldest boys — and Donathan Lee Alston, father of Daydon.

The past week has been a nightmare for the family, said Sondra’s cousin, Jennifer D’Alessandro of Lockport.

“Nobody should have to go through this,” she said.

As the service began, the crowd joined together in a verse of “Jesus Loves Me,” many of them wiping away tears.

The Rev. Samuel Bell Sr., one of several relatives, spoke about the importance of family.

“The time is now for us to come together,” Bell said.

The boys, whose smiling pictures greeted visitors to the funeral home, were described as happy, fun-loving youngsters who loved to make each other laugh.

Davon Jenkins, a second-grader at Oak Orchard Elementary School in Medina, was born with Down syndrome. He had developed leukemia at a young age, and had undergone open heart surgery before he was a year old.

Despite all these challenges, the family remembered Davon as a happy boy who was generous with hugs and loved to dance.

His brother, Camron, was a first-grader at Pratt Elementary School in Barker. He was planning a huge birthday party in January.

Daydon, the youngest boy, was in kindergarten at Pratt Elementary.

All three boys attended Hess Road Wesleyan Church in Appleton. Pastor Joe Payne spoke to the crowd Monday, describing three boys who were close with their cousins and loved to play with the microphones during rehearsals for the church’s Christmas program.

“When Davon got within a foot of a microphone, he was all over that thing,” Payne said, laughing. “They were the kind of kids you liked to be around. ... They were well behaved, they were very affectionate. They were just neat kids.”

The family has set up a fund to help Sondra Heigl with funeral expenses.

Contributions to the family’s fund can be made at any First Niagara Bank location and should be directed to the fund for “Sondra’s Boys,” or by mail at Sondra’s Boys, First Niagara Bank, 1531 Niagara Falls Blvd., Amherst, NY 14228.

Sondra’s employer, Briarwood Manor, has also begun collecting donations for the family. Administrator Mark Ferreri said employees there also hope to plan a fundraiser in the future.

Donations for that fund can be sent to Briarwood Manor, c/o Sondra Heigl, 1001 Lincoln Ave., Lockport, 14094, or by calling 433-1513.

Contact reporter April Amadon at 439-9222, ext. 6251.