Supporting Donovan Hoegle's Family After Tragedy

Last month, our community suffered an inconceivable and unforgivable tragedy. Donovan Hoegle, 15 years old, was killed when the car he was in was struck by another vehicle in the upper Keys. He leaves behind grieving parents, two younger brothers and three younger half-sisters to whom he was the model big brother, and a remarkable number of heartbroken relatives, friends, teachers, and acquaintances who considered him family. His loss is a devastating and heart-wrenching wound to the soul and spirit of Key West.

If you knew Donovan, even in passing, you knew him to be a truly exceptional human being. Donovan walked his all-too-brief journey beside us with quiet, good-natured kindness. He was admirably generous, not just with his time and attention but also with his goodwill, spirit, creativity, and respect.

Donovan was not driving, but he just received his State ID, and so he was officially on record as an organ donor when he passed; as of this posting, four new lives have been changed by his time here with us.

In these tragic moments, a community shows its strength and resilience. When the best, the innocent, the most promising are taken from us too soon, we who remain come together in compassion and sacrifice. To his younger siblings, Donovan was an anchor; his loss to them and his parents is unimaginable - a tragedy none of us would wish to understand, but all of us should seek to comfort and heal.

Those of us who were his teachers often said they looked forward to knowing Donovan as an adult. He was that kind of young man: exceptionally kind, not just tall for his age, but calm for his age, wise for his age, funny for his age, and good-natured for his age.