The Aledo community is mourning the loss of 14-year-old Brayden Martin after school officials confirmed the 8th grader was killed in an ATV crash Wednesday night, just hours before he was supposed to graduate middle school.

Aledo Independent School District confirmed Martin’s death to CBS News Texas. An Aledo ISD trustee and Martin’s select baseball team also said the crash involved an ATV.

In a statement to families, the district said extra support staff were on campus Thursday for students and teachers grieving the loss.

“We had extra support at Aledo Middle School this morning for our students and staff,” the district wrote in part. “We have asked our entire community to pray for Brayden’s family, friends and teachers.”

Martin’s death has sent shockwaves through the close-knit North Texas community, where friends, classmates and teammates have shared tributes online.

His select baseball team, the Wildcatters NTX 14U Place, posted a heartfelt message honoring their teammate.

“Brayden was more than a teammate — he was family,” the team wrote. “His love for the game, his smile, and the impact he made on everyone around him will never be forgotten.”

The post continued: “Our thoughts and prayers are with the Martin family, his teammates, coaches, and all who knew and loved him during this unimaginable time. Forever a Wildcatter. Forever #10.”

Shane Davis also shared condolences online as memories and prayers poured in across social media.

Another Aledo family says they understand the unimaginable grief the Martins are now facing.

Glen Bates lost his 11-year-old son, Noah, in a UTV crash four years ago while riding on a ranch with friends. Bates told CBS News Texas that the pain of losing a child never goes away.

“You know, when you lose a child, you enter into a club that no parent ever wants to be a part of,” Glen Bates said. “And, it’s a lifelong journey.”

Glen Bates said his son was thrown from the vehicle after the boys lost control. He was killed instantly.

After Noah Bates’ death, the Bates family created the Noah Bates Memorial Foundation, focused on ATV and UTV safety education and training.

Federal safety data from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission shows children under 16 make up a significant number of ATV-related deaths and injuries nationwide. A majority of those deaths are boys.

“These accidents are preventable,” Glen Bates said. “It just takes engagement. It takes conversation.”

Martin’s family has asked for privacy as the community continues to rally around them.

North Texas weather is a mixed bag Thursday. Some neighborhoods saw soaking rain while others stayed dry with sunshine. Scattered storms continue west of DFW with isolated flooding possible, but the Memorial Day weekend is not expected to be a washout.

AUSTIN, Texas — Severe thunderstorms that moved through Central Texas Tuesday night left behind downed trees, power outages, and damage across parts of the area.

Scenes from the storms showed powerful winds, heavy rain, and frequent lightning moving through the region.

In Georgetown, damage could be seen at a gas station where Chalmer Williams took shelter as the storm moved through.

“If you see the video, the cashier who was in front of me was trying to signal people to come inside,” Williams said. “Luckily, she lets me in, and in my mind I’m thinking ‘man, maybe this isn’t just a thunderstorm,’” he said.

As conditions worsened, Williams said he became more concerned about what was happening outside.

“Especially when the roof of the gas station started to come off, I’m like ‘man, maybe I’m in the middle of a tornado and don’t even know it,’” Williams said.

Meteorologists say the storms were strong, but also fairly well predicted.

“The storm moved into the Austin area and the I-35 corridor right at 9 o’clock, and that was basically what time the model suggested would happen,” said Troy Kimmel, an incident response meteorologist.

RELATED| Severe thunderstorms cause widespread power outages, downed trees across Central Texas

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The storms quickly caused problems across the area.

Off Barton Springs Road in Austin, a man was critically injured after a tree fell on him outside Green Mesquite BBQ. The restaurant was closed on Wednesday.

At one point, more than 5,400 Austin Energy customers were without power. Most people have since had their power restored.

Kimmel said straight-line winds can sometimes cause more widespread damage than people realize.

“The straight lines wind do what? They spread out, and they can cause more damage over a wider area. It can affect utilities, bring down trees, and, of course, the power lines over a wider area,” Kimmel said.

On Berry Creek Drive, the ground underneath part of the roadway was washed away, creating additional traffic issues tied to the weather.

With more rain chances in the forecast this week, meteorologists are urging Central Texans to stay weather aware.

For Williams, the experience was a reminder that safety comes first during severe weather.

“There’s going to be hardships, and sometimes we just want to fight through it like I was on I-35,” Williams said. “The best answer is to seek refuge, to seek safety, to seek comfort, and then when it’s time, get back out there and fight.”