1000 Bikers Show Up for Funeral of 2-Year-Old Boy

When catastrophic floods hit Humphrey's County in Tennessee, the Burrow Vaughn family never expected to lose a loved one, but sadly, they did. This month, scores of bikers helped pay tribute to the 2-year-old who lost his life.

Allen Burrow thought that less than 100 bikers would help him say goodbye to his grandson and ride along to the grave. However, his expectations were vastly underestimated.

Thousands of riders showed up in downtown Dickson to show their respects to Kellen Burrow Vaughn. They escorted his tiny hearse to the graveyard after he passed away due to devastating flooding in the area.

HE LOVED BIKES

The youngster's grandfather explained that Kellen adored bikes. He said: "He's kind of like me. Just every time you hear a bike, you look around, see who it is, see if you know him. He just loved seeing bikes."

A group of riders took up the call and showed up in their numbers. The group arrived on their Harley-Davidsons, Yamahas, and various other motorbike brands. People rode in from Highway 96, Clarksville, and even Kentucky.

RIDE FOR KELLEN

The motorcade quickly gained traction online as Kellen's loved ones documented and shared the precession using the hashtag #Ride4Kellen. Most of the riders had never visited Humphreys County before.

They also didn't know the youngster personally. However, they wanted to give him a worthy tribute. 53-year-old Shawn McAfee said: "I just seen the little fella's picture on Facebook, and I thought I gotta go show support. [sic]"

THEY GOT A TURNOUT

McAfee stated he knew they needed to make their bikes "rumble" for Kellen because he "liked to hear the pipes." Deputy Mike Webb, who had worked in the county for 4 decades, said they had never seen such a large funeral procession before.

Webb expressed:

"It was a national news story that this little boy likes bikes. His family wanted a turnout. Well, he got a turnout."

THE TRAGIC DAY

Kellen's death was completely unexpected. Floodwater sadly ripped the youngster from his mom's arms as they tried to fight the raging water. They were clinging to a clothesline near their Waverly apartment.

The mother also had her four other children with her as they watched the water continue to rise. Tragically, Kellen was swept away by the rush. He was missing for 4 days before his body was discovered.

HE WAS A HAPPY CHILD

His grandfather described him as a child who was "always happy." He added: "Even when he was mad, he didn't get mad, just a few minutes, and he was happy again."

The news of his death saddened many netizens. Community members and strangers alike sent the family messages of condolences. One person said: "Our hearts hurt for you. This was such a wonderful thing....all these bikes turning up to honor him."