EAST ISLIP, NY — Chanting "No more silence," "Shame on the system" and "We're here for you, Justyna," hundreds of people turned out Saturday for a rally called March for Change (Honoring the Life of Thomas Valva) at Heckscher State Park in East Islip.

The event was organized by Specialized Autism Support & Information (SASI) to remember Thomas, 8, who police said died after he was forced to sleep overnight in a frigid garage in the Center Moriches home belonging to his father and his father's fiancee. "It is up to us to rally together to support his family and push for change so that no child has to suffer like Thomas and his siblings," organizers said. "The tragic news of Thomas Valva and his family has struck the heart of our community."

At the event, which was attended by Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone, Thomas' mother, Justyna Zubko-Valva, thanked all involved for organizing the march. Her son had special needs, she said, but that did not stop him from achieving success in school and in life.

On the way to the event, Zubko-Valva said, she asked God and Tommy: "'What message do you want me to tell everyone?' I think the most important thing was that Tommy was the kind of child who was a fighter. … I'm here to fight with you for change. For change that is so necessary in the community and in the government that is supposed to protect our children. And in Thomas' case, unfortunately, all failed to do so. So Tommy, as your mommy, I promise: The changes are coming." "Amen, sister," a member of the crowd cried.

Zubko-Valva added: "We're not going to stop until we know that children in a similar situation are safe … that parents — loving parents who care and love their children — are not separated from their children. Thank you for making me realize that I'm not alone in this process."

"We love you, Justyna," another shouted.

Speaking with Patch, Zubko-Valva added that she had been through a "traumatic experience that has changed my life forever. But I'm still strong enough to fight for Thomas because that is what he wants for me. I'm strong enough to fight for he wants — for the change to happen very soon. There's no time to wait." After the march, Zubko-Valva told the crowd as she looked toward the sky: "Tommy is here, too. Thomas is definitely looking down upon us from heaven, and he's extremely happy that he's starting this whole movement, this whole change in everybody's life. He's already saved five other children — my two boys and, obviously, three girls. I feel like the changes are going to happen very quickly — and we are going to have so many more successful stories."