Sept. 17 would have been Lee Thunder’s 13th birthday.
But instead of a birthday party and presents to celebrate becoming a teenager, the day was spent in mourning — a sad reminder that Lee will always be 12 years old.
On March 17, Lee was tragically struck by a car and killed on East Hill as he made his way home that evening.
Last Thursday, six months to the day of the tragic accident, 40 friends and family gathered at the skate park to remember Lee at the last place his mom ever saw him.
Nearby, a table was set up to remember Lee was surrounded by dozens of balloons wishing a “Happy Birthday,” pictures of a smiling baby, snapshots of a grinning boy with his friends, a school photo and a Duck Dynasty balloon.
While kids in the background skated and played in the park, the heavy faces and teary eyes told a different story of what no longer could be.
So as the sun set that day and the balloons floated as silhouettes against the sky, the crowd released them into the air and a poem was read, remembering the loving little boy who will forever be a boy.
