Top 10 Stories Of 2023: Wheeling Teen Remembered Fondly Following Car Crash Death
Trending
Remembered by friends and family for his dedication to anything he tried and outgoing nature, Wheeling Park student Devin Sovinsky's legacy lives on in both memories and the trade school scholarship dedicated in his name.
"Devin was not your average kid, and I want him to be remembered as such," described mother Bobbi Porter. "I want him to be remembered as the kind and caring person who lit up a room when he walked in."
Devin was killed in a car crash on July 18. Driver Cory Joseph Sipos, 18, was charged with one felony count of DUI causing death on Sept. 16. Another minor present in the car received minor injuries from the crash, according to the Wheeling Police Department.
Sipos allegedly had a blood alcohol content of .116, which the WPD obtained from blood sample results taken by WVU Medicine Wheeling Hospital.
A preliminary hearing for Sipos's case will be held on Jan. 11 at 2 p.m. in Ohio County Magistrate Court.
A monument in Devin's name has been erected where the crash occurred on Bethany Pike. Devin's siblings have purchased the land of the crash site, and the family is working with the state to erect a "Don't drink and drive in honor of Devin Sovinsky" sign on the property.
Beyond the crash site, both physical and verbal tributes to Devin have been left by friends, teammates and coworkers. Porter was particularly touched by the Wheeling Park Bowling Team adding Devin's initials and date of passing to their new uniform, as he was a team member.
Still receiving messages from Devin's former classmates recalling memories with her son, Porter attributes his outgoing, friendly nature as the reason why he was able to leave an impact on so many people in such a short time.
"He just kind of got along with pretty much everybody, and if somebody was being bullied, he would help smooth that over," explained Porter. "The kids painted a parking spot for him at Park, and they say it’s not the same without him there."
In the months following her son's death, Bobbi Porter has strived to find more "out-of-the-box methods" to make sure her son's name never dies. Fundraising ideas for the Devin Sovinsky Trade Scholarship that have been tossed around so far include a car show and a bowling tournament, both of which commemorate activities Devin loved.
The Sept. 9 benefit held to raise money for the scholarship served as a testimony to how many lives he touched. Bev Wolf, a friend of the Sovinskys since 1989 who took the reins to create the scholarship, was amazed by the event's turnout.
"I didn't realize how many kids out there were hurting from losing him, I had no clue," said Wolf. "The event really showed me how great of a kid he was."
The combined money raised from the benefit and a GoFundMe for the scholarship totaled $2,379. Due to the success of the fundraisers, two $500 scholarships will be handed out in Devin's name next year.
"Moving into the future, we want to continue doing two $500 scholarships yearly," explained Wolf. "It keeps his name out there and his memory alive."
Planning to create a board for the scholarship to organize and concentrate fundraising efforts moving forward, Porter noted that dedicating her time to work and the scholarship has helped take her mind off the loss of her son. The ability to lend a hand to a kid who wants to work in a trade after high school, like Devin, is exciting for Porter.
"We feel very honored that our son was interested in something we can help with," said Porter. "We want to remember Devin for what he was passionate about, so it's a real honor to be able to help someone who isn’t financially stable become a mechanic or welder."
Porter knows firsthand how expensive the tools alone for the trade career can be since her father-in-law is a mechanic. This father-in-law was also the one who began Devin's interest in working with his hands, as Devin loved to learn how to fix cars with his grandpa.
"He loved working at the garage with his grandpa until he got a little bit older and then discovered his friends could do it too," joked Porter.
Setting their sights on an end goal of raising $10,000 for the scholarship, Porter wants to eventually expand the scholarship to be available to not only WPHS students but high schoolers across the Ohio Valley.
"Handling this all is a little bit easier knowing that his tragedy can help somebody or a few," noted Porter. "This all wouldn't even be possible if it wasn't for everyone who has helped us along the way and is still helping us."