ANDERSON, SOUTH CAROLINA: A tragic incident has claimed the life of a high school football star, leaving a community in mourning. Evan Kinley, a 15-year-old from Anderson, South Carolina, met a devastating fate when he was struck by a tree outside his grandparents' residence during a bout of severe storms.
The incident occurred as Evan was in the process of exiting his car. The force of the storm caused a tree to uproot and fall and it tragically landed on him near the garage of his grandparents' property. The location was Arnold Drive, close to Kings Road, and the fateful occurrence unfolded at around 5 pm on August 7.
Evan's beloved grandparents were the first to witness the heart-wrenching scene after the tree fell. With urgency and distress, they attempted to free him from beneath the weight of the fallen tree. However, their efforts were in vain as the tree proved too heavy to lift. The aftermath was devastating, as their cherished grandson's life was abruptly lost due to the freak accident.
Who was Evan Kinley?
Evan Kinley is fondly remembered as an enthusiastic outdoorsman who found joy in activities such as hunting, fishing and had a passion for automobiles. He was a sophomore at TL Hanna High School and also the star football player for his high school team.
Beyond his outdoor pursuits, Evan made meaningful contributions to his community. He proudly served as a volunteer junior firefighter with the Broadway Fire Department, exemplifying his dedication to ensuring the safety and well-being of those around him. Evan was an avid church-goer and is fondly remembered by all his family and friends.
‘Rest in peace our young friend. Gone too soon’
Jason Tone, the head football coach at TL Hanna, echoed the sentiments of many who knew Evan. He described Evan as a beacon of positivity who always had a “can-do” attitude. “He just always had a smile on his face. He showed up every day to work, was a great teammate, very energetic (and) fun to be around and he had a lot of friends on the team,” said the coach as per Daily Mail.
A heartfelt message from the Broadway Fire Department resonates with the sentiments of a grieving community. “Please keep this family in your thoughts and prayers. The next few days are going to be rough on them. Evan was a great kid.” The department added, “He was a Junior Firefighter with us and we were really looking forward to having him in the future. He’ll definitely be missed. Rest in peace our young friend. Gone too soon.”
Volunteer firefighter Kim Strickland encapsulates the collective sentiment, emphasizing that Evan's loss extends beyond age or identity, declaring, “We didn't lose a 15-year-old, we didn't lose Evan, we lost a family member.”
