11 August 2023 , 15:20
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Tragedy struck a South Carolinian family when a tree fell on a 15-year-old volunteer firefighter, crushing him to death.
Evan Christopher Kinley stepped out of the family's car in the midst of a nasty storm last weekend, hoping to spend time with his grandparents at their Anderson County home.
Winds battered the property, and powerful gusts uprooted a tree, which fell on the teen.
He was pronounced dead at the scene minutes later. His father, Chris, said Evan will be "greatly missed" — a message his school district, Anderson Five, reinforced.
"Anderson Five extends its deepest condolences, thoughts and prayers to his family during this unimaginable time," the district said in a statement. "Words never seem to adequately convey comfort during a time like this, but as a school district, we must take a moment to remember why we are in the roles that we are and that we serve as a beacon of light during dark times."
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A firetruck races to the scene where Evan Kinley was killed (Newsflash)The secondary school student was an American football player, and his coach, Jason Tone, said he "always had a smile on his face." He brought positivity with him.
Evan volunteered at the Broadway Fire Department in Anderson, and the department described Evan as "a great kid." He was also an "avid outdoorsman" and enjoyed hunting and fishing, according to his obituary. He also had a fascination for cars.
His father told Fox Carolina that Evan was "a huge fan of Jesus" and said "he is definitely in heaven." Evan had two brothers and two sisters and a large family outside of that, too.
To help cover the costs of his funeral, his father started a GoFundMe page, aiming to raise $2,000 (£1,573). It has garnered $3,878 (£3,049) as of Friday, August 11.
Evan Kinley was an American football player (Newsflash)"This passing was completely unexpected," the page reads. Evan's burial is scheduled for August 12 and is slated to be accompanied by full firefighter ceremony.
The storm also resulted in the death of an Alabama man, according to South Carolina Public Radio. It swept across the south, then made its way up to New York, stranding thousands at major airports in the region and leaving millions without power.
Multiple trees were uprooted. Power lines went down. Buildings were damaged. The storm was comprised of a mix of torrential rain, heavy winds, hail, lightning and lots of flooding.