Friends, family plant tree to honor young accident victim
Ceremony at Hollow Hills in memory of Travis Hansen
By Brennan Whitmore Special to the Acorn

IRIS SMOOT/Acorn Newspapers REMEMBERING TRAVIS- The Hansen family stands before a tree at Hollow Hills Elementary School dedicated to Travis Hansen, a former Hollow Hills student who was killed in a car accident while riding his bike in September 2007. From left is Travis' mother, Kathy Hansen; sister Natasha, 21; father, Steve; and stepmother, Sandy. Another sister, Katy, 18, was unable to attend the ceremony.

Friends and family gathered Saturday at Hollow Hills Fundamental Elementary School to honor the life of former student Travis Hansen.

The 13-year-old was killed in September 2007 on his way to Hillside Middle School when the bicycle he was riding was hit by a pickup truck.

A tree planting ceremony was held at Hollow Hills in celebration of the young boy's life.

"We are going to have a chance to honor Travis' memory with a tree that will last for generations," Principal Aldo Calcagno said.

The tree planted in Travis' honor was a crepe myrtle, which was donated by American Wholesale Nurseries. A similar tree planting took place at Hillside, which Travis attended after graduating from Hollow Hills.

Calcagno said he felt it was important to have such a ceremony at the elementary school as well, considering how much time Travis had spent there.

Steve Hayes, a friend of the boy's family and one of the organizers of the ceremony, helped Calcagno and Travis' father, Steve Hansen, plant the tree.

Travis' young friends then helped bury the roots, while the parents looked on in silence.

Despite the somber moment, the overall feeling at the ceremony was one of happiness and friendship.

"Travis was a great kid. He had a freckled face, and a smile that went from cheek to cheek. You never saw him in a bad mood," said Brandy Bergsson, whose son Chance was good friends with Travis.

Kathy Hansen, Travis' mother, explained why the ceremony felt more like a gathering of friends then an event of mourning.

"We wanted to remember how Travis was happy, and liked to have a good time," she said.

One of Travis's friends, Connor Anderson, 13, reminisced with a group of kids about their old friend.

"He would just be friends with anyone, there wasn't anybody who did not like him," Connor said.

After the tree was planted, Hayes read a poem he wrote for the occasion. He titled it "If Autumn Came Too Soon."

Natasha Hansen, Travis' older sister, was on hand to witness the ceremony.

"We really had a connection, me and Travis, mostly because I really liked boy stuff," Natasha, 21, said.

As the ceremony wound down, Kathy Hansen remembered how her son enjoyed playing with his friends at school and how he was one of the few kids who actually enjoyed academics.

"He loved school," his mother said. "He hated homework, but loved school."