'Fly high my beautiful boy': Community mourns Vancouver Island teen killed in lawnmower crash

Parker Amann is seen in a photo posted to his father Paul's Facebook page.

Tributes are pouring in for 14-year-old Parker Amann, who was killed in a collision outside Nanaimo on Thursday.

The lawnmower he was driving collided with a pick-up truck at an intersection in Cedar, according to police. Despite efforts by first responders, Amann was pronounced deceased at Nanaimo Regional General Hospital.

“Fly high my beautiful boy,” Parker’s father, Paul, wrote on social media Friday, accompanied by a photo of his son going over a jump on his mountain bike.

“My best friend, son, brother, cousin, grandson, great grandson and friend to riders all over the world. You will be missed,” he wrote. “Our hearts are shattered.”

Hundreds of friends, family and community members commented on the posts to share their condolences. “Rest in peace Parker, on the bike park in the sky,” one wrote.

Professional mountain biker Reece Wallace also took to social media to share a tribute for the teenager.

“You were an amazing little dude—volunteering at my event always willing to help out with a shovel or hose in hand, cliff jumping, digging through my basement for bike parts and talking about airplanes with you and your dad,” he wrote on Instagram.

“You had an eager optimism and your love for bikes & just being a kid was contagious. Happy trails, Parker.”

Family friend Leah Pearson said she’s collecting funds for the family via e-transfer. “Our beautiful friends have lost their handsome, funny, quirky and talented son Parker,” she wrote on social media. “This family has endured a second tragic loss of a child, and need our support.”

Nanaimo RCMP said the 45-year-old driver of the pick-up Amann’s lawnmower collided with remained at the scene and co-operated with police. Mounties said drugs and alcohol have been ruled out as factors in the crash, and noted the roads were wet at the time.

The intersection at Lindsey and White roads was closed for several hours while collision investigators examined the scene. The police investigation into the crash is ongoing, as is an investigation by the BC Coroners Service.