Relatives, friends, church family grieve for 10-year-old accident victim

10-Year-Old Lake County boy killed in tragic accident: MyFoxORLANDO.com

The Daily Commercial in Florida reports:

The school where 10-year-old Nathan Hayes attended is grieving over his death, and people who did not know the child’s family have been calling Christian Home and Bible School in Mount Dora to express their condolences, officials said.
Hayes died Saturday night after he was struck by a car that had swerved to avoid a fallen tree in the road, according to Florida Highway Patrol.
The fourth-grader was riding with his father, Steven, in a 1995 Chevrolet S10 pickup truck, going north on County Road 44A, near West Eldorado Road in Eustis. They entered a curve in the road blocked by a downed tree covering the entire roadway, and the father swerved his vehicle towards the left and struck another tree, coming to a rest in the southbound lane facing north.
FHP said the father felt it would be safer for his son to stand and wait off of the west shoulder of the roadway. Minutes later, another driver approached the curve and swerved to avoid hitting the tree and the pickup truck, and struck the child, who was pronounced dead at Florida Hospital Waterman.
“Nathan was a wonderful, beautiful little boy, full of life and energy,” said Pat Todd, headmaster at Christian Home and Bible School.
“He was everything that you would want to have in a young man,” Todd added. “He was barely 10 years old, a great athlete and a great student … Our whole school is heartbroken; students, faculty and parents. We are just heartbroken.”

Read the full story?and see a video report by WESH-TV in Orlando.
A funeral service is planned Thursday at the Orange Avenue Church of Christ in Eustis, Fla., the family’s home congregation.

• Feedback
  Our church went through this with one of our little boys hit while riding a bike. It is so awful. The family and their church family will be in my prayers.

  Susie Tidwell

  September, 28 2011

  Simply heartbreaking. Prayers and love to the family … God will see you through, though it hurts too bad to perceive that at this time.

  John Dobbs

  September, 29 2011

  To the family…you are in my prayers! Keep your faith and trust in God! May the memories of Nathan live on in your lives. On behalf of my church family, we’re praying for you!

  Keya Dacus

  September, 29 2011

  I am very sad about this horrible accident and feel deeply for the family. My prayers go out for them.

  James Haney

  September, 30 2011

  There are no words. Only prayers.
  We have two grown sons and I remember them clearly at that age. I cannot imagine your loss. I pray there are many Christians surrounding you, hugging, helping, listening.

  Mark Finn

  September, 30 2011

  I have an 11 year old boy…simply devastating to think of and now to hear of another brother in Christ have this happen to him. He is in heaven with my Anthony. Prayers to the family going up.

  Robert

  September, 30 2011

  I’m praying for the family of Nathan as well as the man who hit him. What a tragic accident. But what comfort, knowing that Nathan is in Heaven.

  Marti

  October, 1 2011

  I will be praying for you. I have had 2 grandsons that age, and I can’t imagine the grief. My youngest is just 13, not too much older. Our Father understands most of all what you are suffering. May you know His strength.

  Billie Diles

  October, 6 2011