Friends remember 16-year-old boy killed in tree-climbing accident near Oakland's Lake Merritt

OAKLAND (KTVU) - A 16-year-old boy who died in a tree-climbing accident near Oakland’s Lake Merritt Friday evening has been identified as Jack Lewis.

Lewis and several other teenagers were climbing a tree near Children’s Fairyland, when a large limb broke, knocking Lewis to the ground, according to police.

He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Lewis was celebrating a birthday with family and friends when the accident happened.

He was a junior at Oakland Technical High School and a member of his school’s crew team.

His friends describe him as a positive and outgoing person.

“He was hilarious and always went out of his way to say hi to everybody. He was a good kid,” said his friend Lucy Flattery-Vickness.

Oakland Tech’s principal Staci Ross-Morrison said students and teachers at the school were heartbroken to hear about his death.

“He's going to be missed. This is a very sad situation for our students to deal with,” said Ross-Morrison.

Grief counselors will be available at the school Monday morning.