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Tucker Swain, a 9-year-old Oak Trace student, died after he was struck by a vehicle on Saturday, April 29, in a residential area in the 600 block of Apollo Parkway north of Indianapolis. In the wake of the incident, a GoFundMe page was launched by a neighbor on behalf of Tucker Swain's father, Ryan.
The parents of the 9-year-old boy, who was beloved in the Westfield community, received donations from thousands of people to help them navigate the next few months while they grieve for their son. In the fundraiser post, Swain was remembered as a gifted athlete with a flair for acting in school plays, a good friend, and a student with an inquisitive mind.
The page read:
“If you didn't have the honor of knowing Tucker, he was a kind, smart, funny, creative, and athletic boy who made our world a better place. Many may have recently seen him as 'Economan' in the 3rd-grade play at Oak Trace - Tucker shined. One of his classmates said: 'Tucker knew and was friends with EVERYONE.'"
As of this writing, the GoFundMe page has raised $128,361, surpassing its goal of $50,000, with the help of 1600 donations.
Westfield Community pays tribute to Tucker Swain after the 9-year-old passes away
As per multiple reports, Tucker Swain, a third-grade student at Oak Trace Elementary, was struck by a vehicle at about 2 pm on Saturday. He was then taken to Peyton Manning Children's Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead. Police, who are yet to release details about the driver, said that the incident is under investigation.
Shortly after, the community paid tribute to the young boy, who was described as a gifted athlete and a shining star. As per IndyStar, Oak Trace Elementary principal Jane Hitch, in a touching statement, said that Swain was a bright student who loved to read and had a particular interest in sharks.
Hitch said:
“Tucker was a shining star at Oak Trace. He was a great big brother — often walking his sister and brothers to their classrooms in the morning.”
As per WISH-TV, Brad Canada, Tucker's baseball coach, said that he was a talented athlete who excelled on the field. He mentioned that the youth baseball teams in the community had banded together to show their support in the wake of the tragic loss.
He shared:
“He played hard. He was a really smart kid. He asked a lot of really good questions. He was an unbelievable teammate. He was passionate. He loved what he did. He always had fun. He was just a really positive teammate. Buddies with everybody.”
Canada said that Swain, who was well known in the area, was adored by many and acknowledged the horrible loss suffered by his family. He called the accident "absolutely heartbreaking" and said that the news hit "close to home."
Canada added that he told the boys on the team that they would honor Tucker Swain's memory for the rest of their baseball careers.
