Family, friends remember Corinne Gump, Schmidts

By WILLIAM K. ALCORN

alcorn@vindy.com

YOUNGSTOWN

Candle Light Vigil

Video

A candle light vigil for Corinne Gump and her grandparents who died in a house fire one year ago was held tonight.

Sky lanterns floated upward into the sky, seemingly reaching up to 10-year-old Corinne Gump and her grandparents, William and Judith Schmidt, at the end of a candlelight vigil Wednesday on the site of the home in which they died in an arson a year ago.

The Schmidt home on Powers Way was demolished last November to remove a daily reminder of the tragedy. But a sign on a large tree that remains at the front of the lot reads: “Forever In Our Hearts Corinne Gump and Bill and Judy Schmidt.”

Other thoughts on the sign erected by the Mraz family are: “Gone Too Soon,” “Never Forgotten,” and “Rest in Heaven Precious Angel.”

“It’s hard to find words. It means a lot to Corinne and my parents that you are here tonight,” Lynn Schmidt, mother of Corinne and daughter of the Schmidts, said to the estimated 125 adults and children who attended the vigil.

“There was a lot of love and laughter in this house. My parents were loyal and had integrity. Corinne was a smart, loving, beautiful little girl,” Schmidt said of her daughter.

“The pain is unbearable ... it doesn’t get any better. You think you can’t go through something like this, but you stand for them, so you do,” she said of her daughter and parents.

“We need all the support we can get,” said Nikki Viera, Corinne’s cousin and niece of Ethan Gump, Corinne’s father, in thanking everybody for coming to the vigil.

“Thank God we have each other,” said Christine Seman, Corinne’s aunt and former wife of Robert Seman, who is accused of setting the fire that killed the three just hours before he was to go on trial on charges that he had raped Corinne. He is in Mahoning County jail awaiting trial on charges of aggravated burglary, aggravated arson and 10 counts of aggravated murder.

“The family can’t start healing until the trial is over. I’m here to pay my respects and remember Corinne and her grandparents,” Christine Seman said.

People began gathering for the 6:30 p.m. vigil before 6 p.m., arriving by car and motorcycle and on foot, from the neighborhood and beyond, to pay their respects and remember and mourn with the Gump and Schmidt families.

There were hugs and tears as they consoled the families and each other.

The Schmidts were neighbors of my brother, Dominic Sarno, said Anna Sarno of Youngstown. “Corinne and my daughter, Emma, played together,” she said.

Bill Gigax of Youngstown, was one of about 15 members of American Legion Riders of Post 472 who stood vigil to show their respect.

Derrick Henderson, a neighbor and friend of Corinne’s dad, made a plea to end the violence.

“Kids and babies are dying. We need to reach out to our kids and love them and know where they are at all times. It could happen anytime to anybody,” Henderson said.

“It’s a sad story,” said Irene Eshenbaugh, who lives in the house behind the Schmidts.

“Whoever dreamed someone would so something like this,” she said, referring to the arson.

“I used to talk to them all the time. Now, I look out the window and cry,” said Eshenbaugh.