16 years son of one of my best friends- killed in freak boating accident

**jim260** · 07-23-2007, 03:28 PM

A wake up call for us all, to be careful when doing even the most mundane things while we enjoy our hobby.

Teen killed in tractor accident at marine business

He was pulling a boat behind the tractor when it rolled on him.

By HELEN ANNE TRAVIS
Published July 7, 2007

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<table class="grtable450leftcap" align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="576"><tbody><tr><td width="124">A 16-year-old Land O'Lakes High School student died when a tractor crushed him Friday morning while he was working at his father's marine service company.

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</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>[Times photo: DOUGLAS R. CLIFFORD]

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</td></tr><tr><td>[Times photo: KERI WIGINTON]
Thomas Kranendonk, 16, died in an accident at Jawak, his father's boatyard on Land O'Lakes Boulevard.
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LAND O'LAKES - A 16-year-old Land O'Lakes High School student died when a tractor crushed him Friday morning while he was working at his father's marine service company.
Thomas Kranendonk worked part-time at Jawak on Land O'Lakes Boulevard. Officials say Krandendonk was using a tractor to pull a boat, a typical practice. The tractor shifted and rolled on top of him. Authorities believe he was killed instantly.
Friends and family gathered in the rain Friday afternoon in front of Jawak, which is located on the property of Bay Area Watersports. They watched white- and blue-gloved officials maneuver about the accident scene.
His father's voice cracked when he said his son would have been a high school junior this fall.
"There wasn't a bad bone in his body," Jim Kranendonk said about Thomas. "He exceeded all of our expectations."
Thomas was an honor roll student, his father said. He played baseball and football. He was outgoing and enrolled in college prep classes.
Fran Helfrich, assistant principal at Land O'Lakes High School, said Thomas was well-known and well-liked among the student body.
"He seemed really easy-going," said Helfrich. "He was just a nice kid."
In 2000 Thomas, then 9, clipped out an entry form from the side of a 24-ounce bag of Chips Ahoy cookies. He and three other boys were selected out of more than 100,000 entries to fly to New Jersey and play with baseball greats Pete Rose, Joe Morgan, Bob Gibson and Nolan Ryan. Their coach -- Yogi Berra.
At the time Thomas was most excited about meeting Derek Jeter.
"He plays on the Yankees, my favorite team," Thomas told the Times in 2000. "And my mom thinks he's cute."
Thomas could invite his buddies to the event, but he brought his parents and little brother, John.
Friday afternoon, red-faced teenagers and adults consoled each other in the parking lot. Jim Kranendonk took turns talking to the press and police about his son. Between interviews he sat on the back of a blue Yukon truck and cradled his head in his hands.
Thomas' mother is a teacher at Denham Oaks Elementary School. He had two younger brothers, John, 13, and Robert, 3.
Deputies do not know if a license was required to operate the tractor. They say the event was an accident.

**Hot Shot Merc** · 07-23-2007, 03:34 PM

Oh my god thats horrible.My thoughts and prayers are with all who loved him.

**Riverratt** · 07-23-2007, 03:36 PM

Prayers going out to the family. Very sad

**Corona Mike** · 07-23-2007, 03:37 PM

Jim that is Awfull news. I'm just curious what state was this in? I live in Lutz Fla. and the town just north of us is Land-O-Lakes. I was out of town this past weekend and haven't heard about a accident. Neverless My heart goes out to the family. Mike T.

**Astro** · 07-23-2007, 03:42 PM

Sorry to hear about this horrible accident. My condolences to the family

**Tony Brucato** · 07-23-2007, 03:45 PM

That's terrible! Condolences to the family.

**beer30** · 07-23-2007, 03:52 PM

Very very sad. Praying for his family. God bless. Chuck

**jim260** · 07-23-2007, 04:10 PM

His dad, Jim, is the MasterCraft Ski Boat dealer for the West Coast of Florida and is a great guy. I flew down from Michigan for the funeral. He was such a well liked kid there were over 700 people at the services.

**Frank Molé** · 07-23-2007, 04:11 PM

such sad news

very sorry

**jim260** · 07-23-2007, 04:22 PM

Originally Posted by Corona Mike

Jim that is Awfull news. I'm just curious what state was this in? I live in Lutz Fla. and the town just north of us is Land-O-Lakes. I was out of town this past weekend and haven't heard about a accident. Neverless My heart goes out to the family. Mike T.

That would be Florida. It happend right on Bell Lake at the dealership. I lived there for 13 years before moving back to my home state of Michigan. Thats how Jim Kranendonk and i met.

**jim260** · 07-23-2007, 04:31 PM

Loss Of Friend 'T.K.' Spurred Land O' Lakes Team To Win

By BART O'CONNELL, Tribune correspondent
Published: July 19, 2007

LAND O' LAKES - Between shagging fly balls and taking batting practice, the mind of 16-year-old Patrick Dudkiewicz wanders back years.
Back to the days when he would fish with his childhood friend, Thomas Kranendonk, at one of the many lakes nearby. Born a month apart, they'd known each other since age 5.
Patrick is one of 13 players on the Land O' Lakes 15-16-year-old Little League Senior All-Star team, and they all have different memories of Thomas, who passed away in a tragic tractor accident the morning of July 6, the day of the District 25 championship game.
Though Thomas was not a member of the team, he was classmates and childhood friends with most of them. And collectively, those memories carried the all-stars to an extra-inning victory that advanced them to the Sectional Tournament on Friday at Lake Wales.
'I was really glad we played,' Patrick said of that night. 'We won it for him.'
'It brought us together as a group,' said the team's coach, Scott Hilgenberg. 'Thirteen players with the same goal - win and make Thomas proud of what we've done.'
But hours earlier, baseball was the furthest thing from anyone's mind. Patrick learned of the accident from his teammate, Ryan Garrison, about 15 minutes after it happened. The rest of the team found out soon thereafter.
'It was really shocking,' Patrick said. 'I hung up the phone and started balling in tears.'
Hilgenberg, who initially though the game should be postponed, began to make his own phone calls and assess how his team felt. One by one, each wanted to play, thinking it would provide a distraction for a couple hours.
What ensued was a two-hour tribute to 'T.K.' The championship game against North Seminole went into extra innings, tied at 2. In the bottom of the ninth, North Seminole loaded the bases with one out. Facing elimination with any mistake, pitcher Zack May registered back-to-back strikeouts to send it to a 10th inning.
'We knew we couldn't lose that game,' said cleanup hitter Keith Esoff.
Land O' Lakes catcher Jason Carrier led off with a single, snapping out of a playoff-long slump. Esoff walked, and Joe Connolly hit an RBI double to start a four-run frame, which held up to take the title 6-2.
The team presented Thomas' father with a signed baseball after the game. For a group that was so sullen and devastated earlier in the day, the victory gave them much-needed relief.
'The feeling was awesome,' Patrick said.
Though not a part of the all-star team, it's understandable why Thomas was so important. He pitched on the Land O' Lakes High junior varsity baseball team and also played guard on the JV football team.
His friends described him as a soft-spoken, fun person to hang out with.
'We were all pretty close to him. As a team, we are like family,' Carrier said. 'We wouldn't have gone 13-0 last year on the JV team without him.'
Now, preparing for Friday night's game against Belmont Heights, the memories of Thomas are as strong as ever. And so is the motivation.
Said Patrick, 'These next games we're going to win for him too

**Corona Mike** · 07-23-2007, 04:41 PM

Originally Posted by jim260

That would be Florida. It happend right on Bell Lake at the dealership. I lived there for 13 years before moving back to my home state of Michigan. Thats how Jim Kranendonk and i met.

Thats what I was thought. Thats rite down the street from my house. Terrable