Site where 11-year-old Chester boy heroically died set to honor his name, deed.

La’Darious Wylie gave his life on Oct. 27, 2015 -- for his sister. He shoved her out of the path of an oncoming car, which hit him instead.

The two were waiting for the school bus. There was no sidewalk at their stop just outside the Chester, S.C., city limits.

They stood in knee-high weeds.

The story of La’Darious gained worldwide attention. The Huffington Post wrote that he “died a hero.” The South Carolina Senate passed State Bill 968: “to express the profound sorrow of the members of the South Carolina Senate upon the death of La’Darious Tyres Wylie, to recognize and honor his life.”

Efforts to honor the memory of La’Darious -- first by naming a park, then a playground -- failed.

Five years later, in the place where La’Darious made the ultimate sacrifice, there is still no sidewalk.

However, the Chester County council announced plans last week to build sidewalks around Chester. And the spot along Dye Street, where La’Darious died, is included, Councilman Alex Oliphant confirmed.

There will be a widened sidewalk there -- dedicated to La’Darious. There also will be a monument of some sort -- probably a plaque -- though the council hasn’t yet made the plan formal, Oliphant said.

The driver of the car in the fatal accident pleaded guilty in 2017 to felony hit-and-run and was sentenced to probation and no jail time, the Herald reported. At the hearing, La’Darious’ mother said “My son was a hero. My son saved his sister that day.”

Available funds

In 2016, The Herald reported that Chester couldn’t afford the $800,000 estimated for sidewalks along all the streets that needed them.

Progress has been gradual.

“Since I came on council, I’ve been trying to get sidewalks connected to the neighborhood, and in the neighborhood,” Councilman Alex Oliphant said.

There was a gap where Lancaster Street met the edge of the city limits, but grant money from the 2009 federal Recovery and Reconstruction Act was used to install sidewalks from Lancaster Street to the J.A. Cochran Bypass.

Now, Chester County has the funds to build a sidewalk honoring La’Darious.

Each year, the South Carolina Department of Transportation collects funds through gas taxes. These funds, called C-funds, are allocated to South Carolina’s 46 counties.

This year, part of the $1 million in C-funds allocated to Chester County will pay for a sidewalk that could possibly have saved La’Darious.

Ashford Street has a half-mile without sidewalks -- from Ella Street to the J.A. Cochran Bypass. The spot on Dye street where La’Darious waited for the bus is within that half-mile.

Bids opened in August, council records show. On Sept. 8, the county voted to accept the bid of $271,892.40 by Little Mountain Builders of Catawba County, N.C., records show.

On Oct. 29, there will be a meeting between the county and contractors to discuss construction. Plans about when construction will start then will be decided, Oliphant said.

In 2016, Oliphant told the Herald, “Chester will never forget its hero.”

Looks like they haven’t.