October 22, 2014

The Peacock Inn Steps In to Help After the Death of a Staffer’s Child

IN ELI’S MEMORY: Shown here with his two sisters, four-year-old Eli Waller died of Enterovirus D-68 on September 25. A fundraiser for the foundation Eli’s family has established in his memory is being held at The Peacock Inn, where Eli’s mother works, on Sunday, November 16.

IN ELI’S MEMORY: Shown here with his two sisters, four-year-old Eli Waller died of Enterovirus D-68 on September 25. A fundraiser for the foundation Eli’s family has established in his memory is being held at The Peacock Inn, where Eli’s mother works, on Sunday, November 16.

Ever since The Peacock Inn on Bayard Lane re-opened four years ago, Suzanne Waller has been a server at the boutique hotel and restaurant. Her colleagues were shocked and saddened when Ms. Waller’s four-year-old son Eli died in his sleep on September 25 of Enterovirus-D68. Now, they want to help.

An event to celebrate Eli’s memory and raise funds for the foundation the family has established in his memory will be held Sunday, November 16, from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., at the Inn. “We’re doing this because we know and love Suzie and her family,” said Scott Sussman, the hotel’s marketing director. “We’ve gotten to know Eli and his two sisters. It’s really been a hard, tough time.”

Mr. Sussman said customers who know Ms. Waller have been asking how they can assist the family. “This is really for anybody who wants to help them,” he said. “There will be food, wine, and a nice celebration of Eli, who was a triplet. Suzie will be here with her husband.”

The Waller family lives in Hamilton Township. Eli, a student at Yardville Elementary School, had one of nine cases confirmed in New Jersey and one of more than 500 cases across the nation. The virus has since been declared to be waning (see story on page 7). “He was a little guy. He just wasn’t able to fight it,” said Mr. Sussman. “They didn’t know he was sick. He just died in his sleep.”

Eli’s father Andy Waller announced earlier this month that the family is establishing The First Day of School Foundation, a nonprofit organization providing support for special education students. In a statement, Mr. Waller said, “Like so many kids his age, Eli was both nervous and excited about starting school, and it is our sincere hope that this foundation can work to help kids in a way that will make Eli proud of us all, in the same way that we were all so proud of him.”

A minimum donation of $100 is asked to attend the event in Eli’s memory. For further information, email Mr. Sussman at ssussman@thepeacockinn.com.