DEERFIELD — Days after 17-year-old Joshua Mizula-Samson of Hatfield was killed in a motor vehicle crash in Deerfield Sunday morning, the community has come together to raise more than $17,343 to cover the funeral and other expenses.

Mizula-Samson, who would have entered his senior year at Smith Vocational and Agricultural High School in the fall, died after a car he was driving rolled over and struck a fire hydrant on Greenfield Road shortly before noon, according to the Northwestern district attorney’s office. A passenger in the vehicle, whom his mother Ashley Mizula said was his friend, sustained injuries that were not life-threatening and was taken to Baystate Medical Center in Springfield. The crash resulted in an hourslong road closure in the area.

“I absolutely appreciate all the sweet and kind words people have to say about him,” Mizula said of her son by phone on Tuesday. “He was a great kid and he had so many friends … I love him and I miss him.”

In a GoFundMe posted on Monday, 298 people had donated between $5 and $500 to assist the family with funeral expenses.

Mizula said her son was an outgoing teen who had a passion for automotive technology. She said he loved working on trucks, could “figure anything out” and get practically any kind of engine started. She added that he would often fix his friends’ lawnmowers or vehicles in his free time.

At the site of the crash, Mizula-Samson’s friends have assembled a memorial with flowers, American flags, hearts carved into a utility pole and other small tokens and notes in his memory.

In the wake of Mizula-Samson’s death, Smith Vocational Superintendent Andrew Linkenhoker said the school in Northampton will have grief counselors available throughout the week to assist students and faculty who need help processing the sudden loss.

“The tragedy of losing a student is always difficult. It’s difficult as an individual, knowing how precious life can be, it’s also difficult as an adult — we support one another as the adults within the school community, but also, more importantly, our student population” Linkenhoker said.

“I’ve heard nothing but positive things and I do know that we have a large percentage of our students who are struggling with the loss, which tells me that the young man had made an impact on the school community,” he continued. “I pray for the entire family trying to cope with this unexpected loss. We want to be here and do whatever we can as a school community to support them.”

Anthony Cammalleri can be reached at acammalleri@recorder.com or 413-930-4429.