The North Idaho community is grieving the loss of Wyatt Bagne, a 14-year-old student at Lakeland Middle School in Hayden, Idaho, who passed away on May 17, 2026, following a serious side-by-side off-road vehicle accident five days earlier on May 12.
His death has left classmates, teachers, and families across the Lakeland school community heartbroken and searching for ways to honor the young life cut far too short.
Wyatt was a student known for what his school principal described as his “light, cheerful energy, and kind-hearted joy.”
Those words, shared by Lakeland Middle School Principal Laura Spurway in a message to families, captured the spirit of a boy whose warmth clearly touched everyone around him.
Following the May 12 accident, Wyatt was airlifted from Coeur d’Alene to Seattle for advanced medical care.
His family faced days of agonizing uncertainty as they traveled and waited, surrounded by medical teams doing everything they could. Despite those efforts, Wyatt did not survive. He was 14 years old.
A School Community Pulled Together in Grief
In the weeks that followed, the Lakeland Middle School community came together in a way that reflected the close-knit character of North Idaho.
Principal Spurway praised the “incredible outpouring of kindness, compassion, and support” shown toward Wyatt’s family and fellow students.
The school encouraged counseling, community connection, and continued care for one another as students and staff processed the loss together.
The Hawk Family, as the Lakeland school community is known, rallied in the way it always has: showing up. From quiet conversations in hallways to organized community support, students and parents found ways to lean on each other in the hardest of days.
Celebration of Life Planned for June 13
Wyatt’s family has announced a Celebration of Life, open to the broader school community and beyond. The gathering will be held on Saturday, June 13, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at One Place Church in Hayden, Idaho.
The family has welcomed members of Lakeland Middle School and the surrounding community to attend and celebrate who Wyatt was.
The event is intended not as a farewell, but as a gathering of love, a chance to share stories, remember his smile, and support one another through the ongoing grief. Those who knew Wyatt are encouraged to come together and honor the mark he made on those around him.
A Call to Support the Family
A fundraiser organized by Jazmin Rowland of Rathdrum, Idaho, has been raising money to help Wyatt’s family, including his mother Brianna, father David, and siblings Cheyanne and Lillie, cover travel costs, medical bills, and immediate financial needs.
As of late May, 16 donors had contributed toward the goal, but the family still needs support.
For those who wish to honor Wyatt’s memory, attending the June 13 celebration or contributing to the family fundraiser are meaningful ways to make a difference.
The Bagne family continues to navigate unimaginable loss with what Principal Spurway called “courage, grace, and a focused care for others.”
Wyatt Bagne was 14 years old. He is remembered for his joy.
