A five-year-old boy was tragically killed after a tree fell on him while he was playing outside in a creek. Vince Kellerman was excited to start kindergarten at Hopewell Elementary in the Park Hill School District in Missouri, but that all changed after a horrific accident. The boy was playing near the Line Creek Trail in Kansas City's Northland on May 27 when a tree toppled onto him. 

Vince was caught on the trail, near the intersection of Northwest 68th Street and Northwest Waukomis Drive. The five-year-old was critically injured and rushed to the Children's Mercy Hospital, where he was put on life support. . The woman who reported the incident told local outlet FOX4 that the falling tree sounded like a 'bomb going off.' Just two weeks before his death, Vince met his future classmates and made plans for an outdoor playdate after school. 'He never met a stranger — only friends he had not yet gotten to know,' the boy's GoFundMe read. Despite him only being five, Vince is remembered as a 'character beyond his years.' 'Smart, kind, loving, and truly magnetic. His bright smile and affectionate hugs lit up every room he entered.'

The child's aunt, Sandy Nguyen, started the GoFundMe for the funeral expenses, as of Thursday, it has raised over $37,000. 'From the beginning, Vince’s parents, Kathy and James, have given him the most unconditional love and raised him to enjoy exploring the world around him,' Nguyen said. Vince also leaves behind his younger brother Silas, who loved playing outdoors and traveling together. 'Vince constantly radiated the love his parents poured into him through his compassion for others,' Nguyen added.

As the tragedy unfolded, the outlet spoke with local residents, who speculated that recent storms and severe weather may have contributed to the tree fall. 'There’s a lot of tree limbs that have fallen before,' local Kashay Mahan told the outlet. 'There’s a whole bunch of trees like right back here, so I can imagine a weaker tree just toppling over at some point,' Mahan added.