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Chloe Trueba, an eighth-grader at St. Jerome School in Phoenix, places a rose next to Andrew Lin's cremated remains Feb. 9 at his burial site in Phoenix. Her class raised more than $31,000 for the Lin family, who immigrated to the U.S. from Myanmar with the help of Catholic Charities five months earlier. Andrew was hit by a car and died Jan. 25.

CNS photo/Louise DeBusk, Catholic Sun

PHOENIX (CNS) -- Undaunted by the poverty that surrounded his short life, Andrew Lin wore a smile his friends still remember.

"He was a big hugger. He would wrap himself around you," said Alice Fuentes, a member of the eighth-grade class at St. Jerome School. The class adopted Andrew, his parents and six siblings when they migrated from Myanmar in 2007.

But the family's journey took a devastating turn Jan. 25 when Andrew was hit by a car while crossing the street near his home and later died. He was 13 years old.

The Lins arrived in the United States with the help of Catholic Charities several months ago. Before that, they survived eight years at a refugee camp in Thailand. Many ethnic minority Karen families, like the Lins, have fled to that country to get away from the oppressive regime ruling Myanmar.

Alice's class raised more than $31,000 for the family early in the school year and helped the Lins adjust to everything from English to electric hair dryers.

During the time between the accident and the Feb. 9 funeral, Andrew's classmates said they found inspiration in the family's steadfast faith when faced with grief.

Speaking through an interpreter, Ron Lin, Andrew's father, said the ordeal has made his relationship with God stronger. After the accident, Andrew's parents also quickly forgave the woman driving the car that hit their son.

"The forgiveness, it just spoke volumes to the kids," said Rose Mischke, a St. Jerome math and religion teacher, who oversees the school's involvement in the refugee program.

For years, the refugee program has helped shape the faith and perspective of the eighth-graders she teaches, she told The Catholic Sun, newspaper of the Phoenix Diocese.

But this year, their work went beyond the fundraising, tutoring and Friday visits to the Lin home. Students and parents helped arrange the funeral. They also set up a fund to help the family pay expenses.

"It helped us realize how close we are and how much we need to treasure our friendships," said Alice, 13.