CEDAR CITY — Police have identified a 13-year old Cedar City boy who died of injuries sustained when he was hit by a vehicle Saturday night.
Noehren Eggett, who friends affectionately called “Dory,” was pronounced dead at around 11:15 a.m. Sunday, just hours after he was airlifted to Dixie Regional Medical Center in St. George the night before.
Eggett and his friends were playing night games, a combination of tag and hide-n-seek, in celebration of a friend’s birthday Saturday night when the boy ran across the street and was struck by a car, Eggett’s stepfather Mark Axelson told Cedar City News.
According to a post on an online fundraiser page, created by family members to help with medical and funeral expenses, Eggett was knocked unconscious and suffered a severe brain injury.
“All possible means were exhausted in order to save Noehren’s life, but his brain injuries were too severe,” the fundraising page states.
The incident occurred at about 8:45 p.m. on Cross Hollow Road in a largely undeveloped rural area devoid of any lights. The street is extremely dark and isn’t often used, other than by those traveling to the nearby Walmart. Police believe the 59-year-old driver may not have seen the boy, authorities said.
The speed limit is 45 miles per hour but police have not yet determined how fast the vehicle was traveling at the time of impact, Cedar City Police Sgt. Jerry Womack said.
“The incident is still under investigation and it’s going to be a little bit before they have all of the information together,” Womack said.
Alcohol and drugs are not suspected, CCPD Sgt. Dave Bulloch said the night of the incident.
While this has been a very tragic time for the family, family members said they are taking comfort in their faith premised in the belief that Eggett has returned to see his own father, who passed away from cancer when the child was 8-years-old.
“Noehren Eggett has peacefully left this world and stepped across the veil where he has been reunited with his dad,” the post states. “During his short 13 years, Noehren touched the hearts and lives of many people! He will always be remembered for his big smile, his kind heart, his sense of humor and his willingness to think of others before himself.”
The family said doctors are hopeful Eggett will be a strong organ donor and could potentially help as many as six people.
The only boy in a blended family of 11 sisters, Eggett is survived by his siblings, his mom, Ingrid Axelson and his stepfather, Mark Axelson.
In addition to the online fundraiser, there has also been an account set up at Mountain America Credit Union under the name of “Axelsons family.”
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @tracie_sullivan
[copright]