6-year-old boy dies after driftwood log falls on him at Bellingham Beach
Jul 14, 2026, 10:02 AM
A photo of 6-year-old Killian Gonzalez climbing a tree with his sister. (Photo courtesy of the family's GoFundMe)
(Photo courtesy of the family's GoFundMe)
A 6-year-old boy died after being crushed by a falling log in Whatcom County.
According to The Bellingham Herald, the child, Killian Gonzalez, suffered severe head injuries, a fracture to his skull, a broken nose, and a collapsed lung after a log fell on him while he played in a driftwood fort at Little Squalicum Beach in Bellingham.
“When the log started to fall, he tried to turn and run, and he got a 200-pound driftwood log to the back of his head and was pinned on the left side of his body,” Sonja McCartney, the boy’s mother, told KBTX.
“His heart had stopped and was not beating on its own,” Marcos Gonzalez, the boy’s father, additionally said. “They were doing CPR and had been for a few minutes.”
He died Sunday at Harborview Medical Center, four days after the accident. A GoFundMe for the family was created to help fund medical, food, and gas expenses. As of Tuesday morning, more than $ 53,000 had been raised.
“We’re living through unimaginable grief. Killian was such a bright light. He had this infectious, deep belly laugh that made everyone around him smile,” the GoFundMe read. “He loved to adventure outside and all the little creatures he would find there. He was curious about everything and loved to learn. He loved to give hugs and always made sure to include everyone around him so they didn’t feel left out.”
Contributing: MyNorthwest staff
