Aussie family’s heartbreaking tribute to boy, 13, who died following e-scooter crash
A 13-year-old boy in Queensland, Australia, has died after crashing a modified e-scooter borrowed from an older friend, days before tough new laws restricting youth e-scooter use took effect. Blayde Pettitt was riding near a McDonald's in Childers, close to Bundaberg, on 26 August when the scooter proved too powerful for him, causing a single-vehicle crash that left him with serious head injuries. He was airlifted to Queensland Children's Hospital in Brisbane but died four days later, on 30 August. His family and community have paid emotional tribute to him, and his death has intensified scrutiny of e-scooter safety for children.
Blayde was remembered by his family as kind, funny and "wise beyond his years", with his mother saying no parent should have to bury their child; his organs were donated, offering the family some comfort. Friends launched a GoFundMe campaign to cover funeral costs, and his school posted tributes describing him as a much-loved member of its Year 8 cohort. Police investigations into the crash continue; it is understood Blayde was wearing a helmet. Queensland's Transport Minister called the death a tragedy, noting it came just before new rules requiring riders to be at least 16 and hold a licence to ride independently, with 12- to 17-year-olds without a learner's licence only permitted to ride under parental supervision and parents facing fines for breaches.
- Queensland boy, 13, dies after crashing a borrowed, modified e-scooter
- Death came days before strict new e-scooter age and licence laws began
- Family tribute, GoFundMe launched, organ donation offers some comfort
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Blayde Pettitt was a 13-year-old boy from the Bundaberg area of Queensland, Australia. On 26 August he was riding an e-scooter that belonged to an older friend, and had been modified to go faster than a standard model, when he crashed near a McDonald's in the town of Childers. He suffered severe head injuries and was flown to a children's hospital in Brisbane, where he died four days later.
His death has drawn attention because of its timing: it came shortly before new Queensland laws took effect tightening the rules on young people using e-scooters, including minimum age and licensing requirements. This has fuelled wider debate about the safety of e-scooters, particularly modified ones, for children and teenagers.
The story now centres on tributes from Blayde's family, friends and school, alongside an ongoing police investigation into how the crash happened.