Waynedale HS golfer dies from car crash injuries

DGKN staff report

A Waynedale High School student well-known as a member of the Golden Bears golf team and a “people person with a big heart” died Wednesday morning after sustaining injuries in a head-on collision earlier in the week on his way home from work.

Deegan Bee’s brother, Gaven, began a gofundme.com account which had raised more than $16,600 of the $20,000 goal by Thursday with 210 donations.

In a heartbreaking plea for support, Gaven Bee wrote on the gofundme.com page in part: “On June 5th, Deegan Bee, my brother, got in a severe car accident coming home from a golf course, right now he is in critical condition and we don’t know if he is going to survive, both of his legs are broken and he has severe internal bleeding.”

The post explains how Deegan had recently picked up a caddying job at Brookside Country Club and on his way home June 5 he veered into an oncoming lane and was involved in a head-on collision.

The post by his brother continues: “Deegan’s life has been full of ups and downs, when he was younger me and him used to race motorcross and we were both some of the best in the state, one day he got in a motorcross accident and had to be life flighted to the hospital, he went under on the way but through time he was able to recover, he was told by the doctor he couldn’t play any contact sports for the rest of his life so he picked up golf.

“Deegan was exceptionally good at golf from the time when he played locally to when he played on a national level, he made his name known and he knew what he was doing.”

Gaven Bee shared at the end of the post “we don’t know if he will survive, any bit of donation will help, please please please share this to help our family out, to help Deegan out if he survives.”

Wednesday morning, Gaven Bee provided a post update: “Hello everyone, if your not aware yet, this morning around 6:10am Deegan Bee my brother passed away, we did all that we could to keep him alive, and we are thankful for everything that everyone has done as far as donations or lending a hand or even just giving thoughts and prayers, I will make the next update when we find out some of the dates and locations, but thank you again everyone for what you’ve all done!”

Waynedale Athletics shared on its Facebook page a post by Lynda Bee, Deegan’s mother, containing family photos and a smiling Deegan Bee at various ages and reads in part: “He went peacefully and that was a blessing as his injuries were so very very severe. He fought a huge fight no one should have to. He tried with everything he had to stay here. You never want your child to go through pain especially that much. I have never met anyone so strong. … All he wanted was for everyone to know and like him. He had such a loving, kind, funny, innocent soul. He is not only our kid, brother, grandson, nephew but definitely the best friend you could ever have (and handsome too). He was a people person with a big heart.”

Waynedale Athletics also posted words of support on its Facebook page: “The thoughts and prayers of the entire Waynedale community are with the Bee family during this difficult time! #BEESTRONG #BEARSTRONG.”