Gabriel Joel Reinhard, 5, of Peoria, Illinois, died Sunday,October 18, 2009, in Les Cayes, Haiti, where his parents and family were involved with missionary work with the Apostolic Christian Church, reports Jim Uttley, special to ASSIST News Service.

Gabriel was killed in a motorcycle accident while on his way to church with his father and sister. His father, Timothy Reinhard and sister, were also seriously injured and medivaced to the United States for immediate medical treatment. Gabriel did not survive the trauma.The Reinhards served in Haiti with the Evangelical Baptist Mission of South Haiti (MEBSH in French) and they lived on the mission station known as Cite Lumiere, a small community of expatriates and Haitians, three miles from the fourth largest city of Les Cayes.

Gabriel was born March 12, 2004, in Pekin, Ill., the son of Timothy and Joan Meister Reinhard.

Surviving are his parents; and five sisters, Kristin (Rodney) Menold of Peoria and Sarah, Bethany, Hannah and Faith, all at home. Also surviving are his maternal grandmother, Rhoda Meister of Hanna City; his paternal grandparents, Dan (Delores) Reinhard of Remington, Ind.; 17 aunts and uncles; and numerous cousins.

He was preceded in death by one brother, Joshua; and his maternal grandfather, Paul Meister.

In Illinois, Gabriel attended the Sheridan Road Apostolic Christian Church in Peoria along with his family. "Gabriel loved being in Haiti with his family and enjoyed catching crabs on the beach and frogs and loved to go fishing. Gabriel was such a joy to our family."

"We thank God that he was a gift to us and that we had the chance to love and raise our son and brother," his family wrote in his obituary published in the Peoria Star Journal.

Visitation will be held from 2 to 4 pm on Thursday, October 22, at the Apostolic Christian Fellowship Hall at 7329 W. Route 150 in Edwards, IL. Services will be held at 10 a.m. Friday at the Peoria Apostolic Christian Church, where visitation also will be held on Friday from 9 to 9:45 a.m. Burial will be in the church cemetery.

Memorials may be made to Apostolic Christian World Relief Haiti, restricted in Gabriel's name.