A Lake County preschool raised $1,000 for the family of a 6-year-old boy who died from rabies.

Christian Academy Preschool in Eustis presented Michelle and Henry Roque with the check Friday afternoon.

School officials started raising money after they found out their son and former student, Ryker, passed away after a bat bit him.

"If it wasn't for the bat he would still be here today so just take in the information and tell your friends and family," said Michelle Roque.

School officials also created a book called "To Pet or Not to Pet? That is the Question," in Ryker's honor to raise awareness about rabies.

"I know this will save another kid one day, or many. If they only knew, because I'm an outdoors person -- I got outdoors fishing, hunting, everything. I never knew that a bat bite or anything like that could kill you," said Henry Roque.

Michelle said her husband found the bat at work and brought it home with him. She said he kept it outside in a bucket and told Ryker not to touch it, but he did.

They said they washed the wound with hot water and a few weeks later, Ryker got sick.

He passed away on Sunday, Jan. 14.

The school hopes to send the book out to the Early Learning Coalition of Lake County to get it into all of the child care facilities in the area.