Marching to the beat of his own drum, freshman Jericho Robinson was a loving kid and talented musician, according to his mother, Michele Welch.

On September 17, Jericho was skateboarding across an intersection with his friend when he was struck by a car and passed away shortly after being taken to Virginia Beach General Hospital.

“He gave great hugs,” Welch said in an interview with The Virginian-Pilot. “That’s something I’ve mostly been remembering. He hugged me a lot, and when he hugged me, he hugged me with his whole self.”

The middle child of seven siblings, a dedicated member of the London Bridge Baptist Church Youth Ministry, as well as a member of the Ocean Lakes Band, Jericho affected many around him.

“The first class after the accident, there were kids in the class crying,” said Kristen Hager, Jericho’s World History teacher. “He was very well-liked.”

He will be greatly missed not only by his family, but by the community and the dolphin family.

“We’re leaving his seat empty for the year,” said Hager. “The class decided that… It’s kind of our tribute to him.”