Family, strangers rally together after Oregon parade death

BAKER CITY, Ore. – A small eastern Oregon city’s parade this past weekend started out as a celebration, but ended in devastation.

Baker City was rocked to its core when Dylan Thomas fell off a float and later died at a hospital – on his seventh birthday.

The Oregonian/OregonLive reported Monday that Dylan’s family has received an outpouring of support from the community.

His mother, Megan Thomas, says vigils, a fundraiser and a memorial service have brought the already tight-knit community even closer together.

Dylan was sitting on a float with his 10-year-old sister when he fell and was struck by the vehicle’s rear wheels. He died later at a nearby hospital.

Thomas says her son was “a loving, energetic little boy who loved life and would do anything to make anyone smile.”