Hundreds attend vigil for Mount Vernon, Indiana, boy killed in fireworks accident
EVANSVILLE, Ind. — Hundreds of people gathered near Mount Vernon's riverfront as the sun began to set Thursday evening for a solemn candlelight service memorializing 11-year-old Camrynn Ray McMichael, who died in a fireworks accident July 3.
On Tuesday, Posey County Coroner Bill Denning said a preliminary autopsy report showed Camrynn suffered a fatal head injury in an accident involving a "firework mortar."
The Indiana State Police have yet to release details about what precisely led to the accident. Local law enforcement and state police say they are continuing to investigate.
Several speakers took to Riverbend Park's outdoor stage to memorialize the young man and the impact he had on his peers, mentors, coaches and teachers, many of whom attended the vigil.
Fireworks accident: Death of 11-year-old Indiana boy in fireworks explosion ruled accidental
West Elementary School, where Camrynn attended up through the end of the most recent school year, organized the event. Principal Amanda Wilson spoke first, and she asked Camrynn's classmates to listen closely to what she said.
She read from a children's book given to her by a West Elementary teacher.
"People who love each other are always connected by a very special string made of love," Wilson read aloud. "Even though you can't see it with your eyes, you can feel it in your heart and know you are always connected to everyone you love.
"We loved Camrynn, we always will.”
Even at 11 years old, “Cam” was an accomplished multi-sport athlete.
Michael Harschbarger, director of the Mount Vernon-Black Township Parks and Recreation Department, told the crowd about Camrynn's ubiquitous presence at the local community center and his presence on local sports fields.
"We saw a lot of Cam over the years, and anyone who was around Cam knew he was a special kid," Harschbarger said.
Camrynn started playing basketball as soon as he was old enough to put a ball through a hoop, Harshbarger told the crowd. The parks director also coached Camrynn in soccer.
"Let's just say he was a football player already; I could never get him to slow down!" Harschbarger said.
The Rev. Brian Thompson, who leads Point Township Church of the Nazarene in Mount Vernon, gave closing remarks. He, like the other speakers, tried to help Camrynn’s young classmates make sense of the tragedy.
“I want you to know this isn’t all there is,” Thompson said. “Even in this, there is still hope.”
Mason Osborne, one of Camrynn’s friends, attended the vigil with his family. His eyes were glossy as he recounted the fun they had in the days before the accident.
“He was just a really good and active person,” Osborne said quietly, clearly struggling to comprehend the unexpected loss.
Osborne’s mother, Jeannie Duckworth, said the two kids played outside constantly. They went for a midnight swim the Friday before Camrynn passed away, and the following day the two had a blast playing together at the local softball field.
Over and over again, the people who knew Camrynn talked about his determination and grit. Even at 11 years old, he would play basketball against high schoolers and refuse to give up. If he got knocked down, he would get back up again.
With the sun now completely set and the crowd clearing out from the amphitheater, Duckworth proudly recounted one of Camrynn’s many athletic exploits.
At a recent pool party, Camrynn kept trying – and failing – to make a lengthy basketball shot, releasing the ball in midair as he leaped into the pool.
“He kept trying to hit the shot across the pool, and we thought he’d never make it. He couldn’t see what happened with the ball once he hit the water,” Duckworth said. “But he finally got it. And when he came out of the water, everyone was cheering.”
Camrynn's family set up a Go Fund Me following his death that so far has raised more than $7,000 to help cover funeral expenses.
"May god bless you and hold your loved ones tight," the fundraiser website says. "Because we are not promised tomorrow."
Houston Harwood can be contacted at walter.harwood@courierpress.com with story ideas and questions. Twitter: @houston_whh
This article originally appeared on Evansville Courier & Press: Vigil memorializes 11-year-old killed in Indiana fireworks accident
