Penn Hills alumni, teacher surprise family on Easter

A Penn Hills School District teacher and a Plum resident worked together to bring an uplifting surprise to a family in need on Easter weekend.

Alexa Verricho and her family started a tradition three years ago of reaching out to their alma mater to find families in need in the community. Teachers work the closest with students and know what they are going through, Verricho said. Gifts are given during Christmas and Easter.

“We want to remember where we came from and remember hard times can fall on anybody,” she said.

Verricho said there was nothing arranged for Easter until she ran into one of her former teachers, Michelle Feorene, in March. After Feorene heard about Verricho’s initiative, she knew immediately who to contact.

Deatra Morton-Searcy, the mother of Tatiana “Tay” Hill, came to mind for Ferorene.

Hill was found dead inside a Hamilton Avenue row house on Dec. 31 along with Denzel “Buddy” Nowlin Jr., 12 and his mother, 28-year-old Nandi Fitzgerald. Ronald Steave, 29, was arrested in March and charged with three counts of homicide in connection with the deaths.

Hill left behind two sons, ages 7 and 11.

“You have to put yourself in this woman’s shoes,” Vericho said. “She is trying to be strong for these kids who are without their mother. It felt really good to take a little bit of pressure off of their shoulders.”

Feorene has the oldest son in her class and talked to his grandmother several times. She reached out to the family to find out what they needed or wanted. It took less than three weeks for the pair to orchestrate a surprise for Morton-Searcy and her grandkids. The surprise was held in front of Penn Hills Elementary on April 16.

“I gave her a hug and tears were shed. She was full of gratitude and appreciation,” Feorene said.

An Easter dinner was put together, along with gifts containing toys and personal items given to the family. The gifts contained toys of interest for the kids who liked Fortnite, Marvel and sports.

“She was super kind and grateful and we extended a hand to her if she needed anything,” Verricho said. “We know that raising a family and kids in general takes an army.”

Feorene said the first thing Morton-Searcy’s grandson did when he came to class the following weekend was thank her.

“It was so heartwarming and amazing. I wish I could do it every day,” she said.