HE WAS ONLY 11 — DAYS BEFORE MIDDLE SCHOOL, PARKER MITCHELL’S LIFE WAS CUT SHORT IN A HEARTBREAKING GO-KART ACCIDENT

PARKER MITCHELL WAS RIDING WITH HIS 8-YEAR-OLD SISTER WHEN THEIR GO-KART OVERTURNED INTO A NEW YORK POND

An 11-year-old boy who was just days away from starting middle school has died after a go-kart he was riding with his little sister overturned into a pond in western New York.

Parker Mitchell, from Greece, New York, was operating the go-kart with his 8-year-old sister, Teagan, in the passenger seat when the vehicle overturned in the town of Darien on Sept. 6, according to authorities and reports cited by PEOPLE.

What should have been an ordinary day with his younger sister quickly became a devastating tragedy.

THE CRASH THAT CHANGED EVERYTHING

The Genesee County Sheriff’s Office responded at around 2:32 p.m. after receiving reports that a small vehicle carrying two children had overturned.

The go-kart ended up in a nearby pond, leaving Parker trapped underwater.

Teagan was able to free herself from the wreck. She was treated by medical personnel at the scene and released.

Parker was pulled from the water and rushed to Strong Memorial Hospital.

Despite the rescue effort, he later died from his injuries.

HE WAS SUPPOSED TO START MIDDLE SCHOOL

Perhaps one of the most heartbreaking details for Parker’s loved ones is how close he was to a major milestone.

According to a fundraiser created by a family friend, Parker was only days away from beginning middle school.

Instead, his family was suddenly forced to say goodbye to a boy they described as full of energy, curiosity and warmth.

Parker was also a talented young athlete. He played youth football and baseball and was remembered as someone who loved sports, the outdoors, video games and spending time with the people closest to him.

His obituary described him as having a “curious spirit” and a “wonderful sense of adventure.”

“HE MADE PEOPLE FEEL WELCOME”

A family friend remembered Parker as a vibrant child whose personality was impossible to overlook.

He was described as affectionate, thoughtful and inquisitive — a boy whose kindness left an impression on the people around him.

His obituary similarly remembered him as someone with a good heart and a remarkable ability to make others feel welcome.

His football community has also rallied around his family.

The Greece Chargers shared a message of support, saying that when one of their families hurts, the entire Chargers community hurts with them.

HIS LITTLE SISTER SURVIVED — BUT NOW FACES AN UNIMAGINABLE LOSS

Teagan survived the accident and was reunited with her family.

But according to the family friend who organized the fundraiser, the 8-year-old is now having to learn what it means to lose someone she loved while her parents are simultaneously trying to cope with their own grief.

For a family preparing for the start of a new school year, everything changed in a matter of minutes.

A COMMUNITY RALLIES AROUND THE FAMILY

A GoFundMe campaign has been established to help Parker’s family with funeral expenses and support them through the devastating loss.

Friends, teammates and members of the wider community have continued to share messages of love and support.

Parker’s family will now remember him not by the tragedy that took him, but by the life he lived — the sports he loved, the people he made smile and the memories he left behind.

His obituary captured that sentiment simply:

His life was short, but his impact will last forever.