Aaron Kirkland.Photo: GoFundMe
Just days before his 17th birthday, Georgia high school student Aaron Kirkland died in a car accident.
Aaron was fatally injured in a crash on Oct. 4 shortly before 9:00 p.m., Gwinnett County police spokeswoman Officer Hideshi Valle toldThe Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Additional information has not yet been released.
“Aaron was my cousin, my favorite might I add,” his cousin Abigail wrote, adding that he “had a wonderful spirit, kind heart, and he was amazing at sports.”
“I know there are so many people who loved and cared for Aaron and may my prayers be with all of you as I hope your prayers are with my family. Anything helps with this shocking process we are having to go through, we want him to have the best memorial service possible,” she continued. “Aaron will never be forgotten.”
The Gwinnett County Police Department did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
Aaron Kirkland.GoFundMe
Aaron’s family went on to share their own message on the fundraising page, thanking everyone who had supported them.
“We would just like to thank everyone so far for your donations,” they wrote, noting that they were also looking into donating “some of this money to a scholarship or a youth group that he loved.”
As of Thursday, the GoFundMe has raised over $30,000.
“Aaron Kirkland, a junior, passed away last night in a tragic accident. He placed 4th in state last year at 195lb. Our hearts and prayers go out to his family,” the team wrote. “Please keep his family and our wrestling family in your thoughts.”
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“It’s obviously shocking,” Buford High School Athletic Director Tony Wolfe, who did not know the student personally, told theGainesville Times.
“He had been in Buford schools his entire life, so obviously he had made a world of connections with students and faculty alike throughout our whole school system,” Wolfe added. “These things are never easy, not easy for faculty or our student body.”
source: people.com
