BERESFORD, S.D. — The Beresford community is heartbroken after 8th-grader Camdyn Meester died Sunday following an accident. The 13-year-old was a familiar smiling face at Beresford Middle School and throughout the close-knit town of just over 2,000 people.
Details of the accident have not been released by authorities out of respect for the family’s privacy, but school officials confirmed Monday morning that Camdyn passed away over the weekend.
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“Camdyn was the kind of kid every teacher hopes walks through their door,” said Beresford Middle School Principal Amy Gustafson, voice breaking.
“Quietly kind, quick with a joke when someone needed cheering up, and always the first to hold the door or help carry something heavy. Our building feels empty without him.”
Classmates describe Camdyn as the friend who made everyone feel included, whether on the playground, in the lunchroom, or during group projects. He loved hunting and fishing with his dad, playing Fortnite with the boys, and was rarely seen without his Beresford Watchdogs hoodie.
Flags at all Beresford school buildings flew at half-staff Monday. Extra counselors and youth pastors were brought in as students returned from Thanksgiving break to the devastating news. The middle school gym was opened after classes so kids could write memories on poster boards and light candles together.
Tonight at 7 p.m., the football field lights will be turned on and the community is invited to a candlelight gathering on the track to honor Camdyn’s life. Attendees are asked to wear Watchdogs purple.
A meal train and donation account has been set up for the Meester family, and the Beresford FFA chapter, where Camdyn was an active member, plans to dedicate its spring fundraiser in his memory.
“Camdyn’s laugh echoed down these hallways every single day,” Principal Gustafson said. “We’re going to make sure it echo for a long, long time.”
Funeral arrangements will be announced once finalized by the family. Until then, this small South Dakota town holds one another a little tighter and remembers a 13-year-old boy who made the world feel bigger and kinder just by being in it. 💜