A 13-year-old boy died after being hit by a van in a Highlands Ranch intersection while on his way to school Wednesday morning.

Alex Mackiewicz was identified by his family as the pedestrian who was struck by a van while crossing the intersection of Venneford Ranch Road and Highlands Ranch Parkway on Wednesday morning, according to a GoFundMe created by his family.

Alex was on his way to Mountain Ridge Middle School, his family wrote.

He was a seventh-grader at the school, according to a message from Principal Alison Shanor notifying the school community of his death.

The crash was reported by the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office on X at 7:15 a.m. Wednesday and the agency later confirmed it was a fatal crash and a pedestrian had died.

The driver stayed at the scene of the crash, according to the sheriff’s office.

The Douglas County Coroner’s Office declined to release the name of the pedestrian, citing the wishes of the family, but confirmed he was a 13-year-old male.

Alex’s family described him as brimming with excitement for the first baseball practice of the season that day, according to the GoFundMe.

Community members have donated more than $38,000 to help pay for funeral and other expenses.

“Alex was not just a son, brother, and friend but a light in the lives of all who knew him,” the family wrote. “He was a gentle, kind, and caring, soul who loved his family. In his passing, we are reminded of the fragility of life and the importance of community support.”

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