Tragic death of boy brings together his family, friends

Jovany Cuevas, 5, prepares to tie an orange ribbon at Wilderness Oaks Elementary School to remember Wyatt McDaniel, 7, on Jan. 27, 2013. McDaniel died after he was found in a sand pile Friday at the Wild Sunday Farm. The community was invited to tie orange ribbons, McDaniel's favorite color, around the campus. less Jovany Cuevas, 5, prepares to tie an orange ribbon at Wilderness Oaks Elementary School to remember Wyatt McDaniel, 7, on Jan. 27, 2013. McDaniel died after he was found in a sand pile Friday at the Wild Sunday ... more Photo: Edward A. Ornelas, San Antonio Express-News Photo: Edward A. Ornelas, San Antonio Express-News Image 1 of / 8 Caption Close Tragic death of boy brings together his family, friends 1 / 8 Back to Gallery

Five-year-old Logan McDaniel watched the wind carry away seven orange balloons he'd released at a far North Side school Sunday, two days after his older brother died following what many are calling a freak accident at the family's horse training facility.

Wyatt McDaniel, 7, died Friday evening after he was found unconscious at the Wild Sunday Farm, officials said. The two brothers had been playing in a pile of sand while their father gave a lesson at the 36-acre facility, witnesses told investigators. Logan ran inside to report his brother was stuck in the sand.

By the time deputies with the Bexar County Sheriff's Office arrived, Wyatt had been pulled out of the pile, and two people at the facility were administering cardiopulmonary resuscitation. He was flown to University Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, officials said.

Classmates and their parents gather Sunday at his school, Wilderness Oaks Elementary, to remember the boy with blue eyes and a big smile who loved the color orange.

Family friend Theresa Chamberlain said the two brothers, whom she described as rambunctious, were inseparable.

“Logan thinks he killed his big brother,” she said, adding that friends and relatives are trying in every way to convince him otherwise.

The Bexar County medical examiner has not released the cause of Wyatt's death, pending a sheriff's investigation. According to sheriff's spokesman Paul Berry, officials have yet to talk to Logan but hope to do so today to determine what happened.

“It was just a freak accident,” Chamberlain said. “(The McDaniels) are in shock, but very grateful.”

About 100 classmates, parents, teachers, relatives and supporters from the local equestrian community donned orange shirts and gathered at Wyatt's Stone Oak school, where they tied orange ribbons on trees, railings, fences, signs and doors.

After school Principal Jane Jensen spoke briefly, Logan and several other children released orange balloons.

Logan, flanked by his parents, Charlie and Laura McDaniel, and his younger sister, 1-year-old Bryn, released seven balloons to commemorate each year of his brother's short life.

“He was a precious sweetheart of a child,” Jensen said. “He has left a print on our hearts that will last forever.”

Wyatt's uncle, Drew Thomas, said relatives are planning a private funeral.

“The family is heartbroken,” he said. “But we're grateful that the school would want to honor Wyatt, and to honor his life.”

Frank Hughes said his son Nicholas was in Wyatt's first-grade class and was too upset to attend the memorial.

Although Hughes doesn't personally know the McDaniels, he stifled tears thinking about their tragedy.

“Being a father, you send your children out in the world to do stuff, and their life changes,” Hughes said. “I can't imagine what they're going through.”

emoravec@express-news.net

Twitter: @EvaRuth

Correction: Balloons released Sunday at a memorial for Wyatt McDaniel didn’t have any writing on them. A story on Monday’s page A1 of the San Antonio Express-News and on mySA.com incorrectly described them.