Yahoo News 15-Year-Old Dies After Tree Falls on Him During S.C. Storm: 'So Greatly Missed,' Says Dad
"He just always had a smile on his face," football coach Jason Tone said of Evan Kinley
Sullivan King Mortuary
Evan Christopher KinleyA 15-year-old boy died in South Carolina when he was struck by a falling tree as severe weather tore through the East Coast on Monday.
The tragic accident occurred around 5 p.m. local time when Evan Kinley arrived at his grandparents' home in Anderson during a storm, the Anderson County Coroner’s Office tells PEOPLE.
The coroner said that when Kinley got out of his car and seemingly approached the garage entrance, a large tree "uprooted and fell due to the high wind and rain." He was pronounced dead at the scene.
The Anderson County Police Department did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment. The coroner said its investigation is ongoing.
Kinley played football at T.L. Hanna High School and was in a volunteer junior fire program at the Broadway Fire Department, where his stepfather is a firefighter, NBC affiliate WYFF-TV reported.
Both the school district and the department mourned the teen.
"Anderson Five extends its deepest condolences, thoughts and prayers to his family during this unimaginable time. 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," the school district said in a statement.
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In a separate tribute, the Broadway Fire Department called Kinley "a great kid," adding that they "were really looking forward to having him in the future."
Kim Strickland, a volunteer firefighter and close family friend, told WYFF-TV that his death is like losing "a family member."
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His high school head football coach also remembered the teen, saying, "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," Jason Tone, head football coach at T. L. Hanna, told WYFF.
In a statement shared with Fox affiliate WHNS, the boy's father, Chris Kinley, said his son "will be so greatly missed."
Evan was remembered in his obituary as being an "avid outdoorsman" who "loved God, his family, and his many friends."
A funeral will be held on Saturday.
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