Skip to main content

‘Mason was a firecracker’: Vigil held for Maryland teen swept away by floodwaters

People in Mount Airy, Maryland, gathered together Sunday night to remember a 13-year-old boy swept away by floodwaters last week.

A candlelight vigil was held in memory of Mason Kearns at Watkins Park, according to the Mount Airy Volunteer Fire Company.

A single rose sat above a drainage pipe in his honor while photos of Mason were on display. Neighbors and residents of the town spoke about Kearns.

“I have felt him with me every day, and I don’t know what my life is going to be like now without having him around,” Bonnie Errico, Kearns’ grandmother told TV station WJZ.

Investigators believe he was playing around a drainage pipe Thursday evening when floodwaters from torrential rain surged through the area and forced him into the pipe.

First responders and neighbors tried to save Kearns, but he had already drowned, according to investigators.

WTOP’s new app keeps you in the know, on the go

Here at WTOP, we are always working on new ways to better inform you, help you navigate your day and empower you to make decisions affecting your daily life.
Read Next Story