A 16-year-old Marian Catholic High School student was hit by a car Saturday.

A Facebook post by the school asks the public to send prayers for Eric Richardson and his family. “Eric is a fantastic young man and student,” the message reads.

It says he needed emergency surgery after being flown.

A supervisor with the Schuylkill County Communications Center received a call at 1:50 p.m. for a pedestrian struck at the intersection of East Broad and Laurel streets. The victim was transported by ambulance to a landing zone for transport to a hospital.

Tamaqua BLS and Lehighton ALS responded to the scene.

Additional information was not available. The Tamaqua Police said the youth was flown by helicopter to a Lehigh Valley trauma center. No other information was available about the incident.

Tamaqua Police Chief Michael Hobbs was not available to comment at this time.

St. Jerome Regional School is hosting a fundraiser for the family

Eric’s brother currently attends SJRS.

Students are permitted to dress down on Monday and Tuesday of this week and asked to make a donation of $1 or more.

All money and/or gift cards collected will go to the family for gas, food and medical expenses.