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Boy Dies In Hunting Accident Save Email Print
Posted: 11:24 PM Dec 16, 2007
 Last Updated: 5:56 AM Dec 17, 2007
 Reporter: wsaz
Email Address: wsaz.com
65 comments
A | A | A

A community in Lawrence County, KentuckY, is shocked.

A 14-year- old boy died in a hunting accident Sunday.

Ryan Hawkins lived near Blaine, Kentucky, but he was on a hunting trip in Letcher County, Kentucky.

Police say the boy accidentaly shot himself while out in the woods Sunday afternoon.

His viewing is Monday night in Louisa, Kentucky.

Ryan's funeral is Wednesday morning at the Blaine Elementary School gym.

Ryan was in the 8th grade.

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Posted by: someone on Mar 28, 2008 at 07:30 PM
ryan you were very special to ever one i remeber the times when you were always trying to make me mad by doin sumthin stupid to me like slapping me on the head but memories they will be we all will miss you so much i remember one time you tried to trip me when i came on the bus it was so funny i hope everone stil has you in there mind ryan you will always be in our heart we love you ryan we will miss you
Posted by: Chase on Dec 21, 2007 at 08:34 PM
Stephanie - You have no idea what you're talking about. Comments like that aren't needed now or ever. To the family - may God be with you.
Posted by: carrie on Dec 21, 2007 at 12:37 PM
hey i wish you the best lo ya ryan!!!! tylyn if you need any thing call same to the family ryan!!! IN LOVING MEMORY OF RTAN SETH CANTRELL!!!! WE KNOW HE'S IN A BETTER PLACE BUT WE WANT TO KEEP HIM TO OUR SELF!!!!!!!!!LOVE YOU ALLLLLLLLL!!!
Posted by: Friend on Dec 21, 2007 at 06:21 AM
"To live in the hearts we leave behind is not to die." Thomas Campbell
Posted by: Jody on Dec 20, 2007 at 12:27 AM
Ryan, I love you bubby and I'm so sorry we didn't get to spend more time together. I'm so glad to have the memories of the time we did have together like when you were in my wedding or your first halloween and I dressed you up as Rambo. You were my little butterball and aunt sissy will always love you and I will never forget you. Leighann, I wish we had more time with him but he is in a better place now and things always happen for a reason and you know he's not alone and now you have another guardian angel watching over you, just take care of yourself we can't loose you too. Tylyn, I went through what your going through 15 years ago last month and you'll never get over it but it does get easier by just knowing he is always there with you in your heart or spiritually wrapping his arms around you whenever you need him. his friends and family, just always remember him and the good things about him and he will always live on in our hearts. I love you bubby R.I.P. Ryan.
Posted by: Alyssa Slone on Dec 19, 2007 at 07:31 PM
hey, Leighann i`m sorry for your loss i wrote a sec ago but i had to but something small but now i cam write so i`m sorry if you need a friend i`m here and i`ve lost someone just like you have i cried and cried but just think he`se in a better place hope you get better Love you, Alyssa
Posted by: alisha on Dec 19, 2007 at 02:33 PM
today december 19,2007 ryan set hcantrell is getting heaven and we wish u the best ryan!!! IN LOVING MEMORY OF RYAN SETH CANTRELL r.i.p rest in peace ryan and theres is somthing else too!!!! ryan was a grate friend and cousin to me and my family,but im really sorry for yuor los with you beloved son ryan we hope you the best and keep on moving along but it will be okay,but it will get harder on life and it all ready has on me P.S i love you ryan seth cantrell but even though we go to the same school dosent mean i dont love because i love him alot yours truley alisha leighann williams
Posted by: Feds Creek Cheerleaders on Dec 19, 2007 at 11:43 AM
Leighann, We all wanted you to know that we love you very much. We are all your sisters and we're here for you whenever you need a friend.
Posted by: Logan on Dec 19, 2007 at 11:37 AM
sorry about your brother
Posted by: Angel Miller on Dec 19, 2007 at 10:48 AM
Hey I haerd about your brother I had someone die to but I cried and couldn't stop cring but think about it he's in a good place feel beter byby Love Ya Angel
Posted by: alyssa slone on Dec 19, 2007 at 10:40 AM
hey sorry about your brother if you ever need a friend tell me !!
Posted by: Veronica & Summer on Dec 19, 2007 at 09:26 AM
We love you, Leighann. I know you are heartbroken, but keep in mind that your precious brother is now your guardian angel watching over you. If you need us, baby, just call.
Posted by: selena on Dec 19, 2007 at 08:30 AM
leighann,sorry for the loss of you brother and if you ever need me call me yes i miss u fr. patrick.... ok its selena again love you as a freind and as a sister
Posted by: ashley on Dec 19, 2007 at 08:27 AM
leighann,sorry for the loss of your brother if u need me call me your best friend ashley hunt
Posted by: tammy on Dec 19, 2007 at 08:25 AM
leighann, i just wanted you to know you are in my thoughts and prayers as soon as you get back home call us. We will always be just a phone call away if you need us. Love and prayers, Ms. Tammy Math tutor
Posted by: carrie.j. on Dec 19, 2007 at 07:32 AM
i just what to tell tell the people that is sayin stuped stuff to shut up. i loved rayn very much ever body did he will be missed by a lot!!!!! tylyn i hope you get better... i love you and wish his family the best merry x-mas and happy new year !!!!! love all ways carrie jones!!!!!!
Posted by: CJ on Dec 19, 2007 at 06:54 AM
This is a very hard time for all his family. I really feel sorry for his little sister who he had just gotten to know. She is having a very hard time and I know that she really needs everyone's prays. She loved him so much and dont understand why she had just gotten to get to know him for god to take him away. Leighann......Bubby really loves you and wishes you the best in your time of need. Bubby Ryan AKA *Bunk" loved you also.
Posted by: Aunt Della on Dec 19, 2007 at 06:46 AM
I just want to let everyone know he father was very close by and ryan wanted him to lay back to give him a chance to get the deer they was calling in on his own. So the adults was there. Accidents do happen no matter how close the adults are even in our own homes. Ryan we really do love and miss you and we know you are in heaven being our guardian angel watching over us now. We love you. You will always be "Our Little Bunk"
Posted by: Ryan Martin on Dec 19, 2007 at 05:44 AM
www.ryanmartin78@windstream.net
Posted by: Ryan Martin(Mr.Dude)Counselor on Dec 19, 2007 at 05:43 AM
Ok this thing didnt let me finish,so i will finish now.Tylan and all other students and staff I wish I could do more and my heart really does break for each and everyone of you but i have to be honest for Ryan it doesn't he is alot better where he is at and we all need to miss him but relize he is alot better where he is at.I have had the oppertunity to spend 3 wonderful days with some of the nicest and most lovable people i have met and I want to thank you for making my experience the best it could be giving the situation,and I will keep u all in my prayers and If anyone and I do mean ANYONE!!needs a friend I am there,and if u need anything let me know I will do my best,again thank you and prayers out to the whole community.....
Posted by: Ryan Martin(Mr.Dude)counselor!!!! on Dec 19, 2007 at 05:32 AM
well where to begin?first of all i would like to say i am very sorry for your loss.I have talk to a whole bunch of students at the alsome school they have there in blain,its the best really,maybe not the biggest but in my eyes i have never in my 29 years seen a school with so much love.the teacher,students,parents it was unbeleivable!!!Just by talking to the students and seeing there reactions Ryan was a wonderful kid,a very loving kid and evidentally this kid could JAM on the guitar i would have loved to see him,i did have the oppertunity to see his wonderful friends rock it out and it was GREAT!!!Thanks Guys..Also to the rude remarks down below IT IS NO ONES FAULT!!Sadly for us but fortunate to him.I would also like to say"Tylan as to what i heard he loves u very much,and u love him,(notice it dont say loved)no one quit loving anyone if anything it got stronger.for Ryan and for the community.I have had the wonderful oppertunity to spend with this great bunch of people and i thank you!
Posted by: jeremy on Dec 18, 2007 at 08:23 PM
I would like to know how he shot him self i've been hunting four 10 years i feel awful bout this
Posted by: alisha on Dec 18, 2007 at 05:29 PM
tomorrow on wed,18 07. i might even cry as soon as i get there my friend went to his viewing yesterday night and he said he looks the same but we still love him alot and then we hope you the best in heaven ryan !!!!! WE LOVE YOU ALOT RYAN R.I.P REST IN PEACE!!!TTYL LOVE YA RYAN!!!!!
Posted by: angie on Dec 18, 2007 at 03:47 PM
I want to say that I am sorry for the loss of your son and friend. I didn't know this child, but from all the comments about him on here he must have been a great one. Accidents happen everyday, ppl are so easy to make judgements on other ppl no one knows what this poor family is going thru at a time like this, my heart breaks for them. I have a 14 yr old and I don't know what I would do if anything happen to her. we just take one day at a time I guess. Live everyday like its your last. Because we never know what will happen or when our time on this earth will be cut short. You are in my thoughts and prayers, this was such a tragic accident. I hope everyone connected to this child finds the strength within to go on. I'm so sorry.
Posted by: Kaitlin Lawson on Dec 18, 2007 at 03:20 PM
Ryan was an incredible person...he could make anyone laugh no matter what! I miss him soo much. I feel so sorry for his family and friends, if I can do anything for any of you all you know how to get ahold of me. We miss you soo much!! I LOVE YOU RYAN! R.I.P.! P.S. Tylyn if you need ANYTHING! call me and I'll be there in a heartbeat!
Posted by: RICHARD WALKER on Dec 17, 2007 at 11:25 PM
Dear Family ,Friends an all other loved ones of Ryan .Im very sorry about your loss this a sad accident to a precious teenage child. And he was very well liked young man ,"God Bless" Evey One my condolencesan an Prayers are with all in Loss of a "LOVED YOUNG MAN" SINCERELY staff of Spencer,s Taxidermy
Posted by: willie on Dec 17, 2007 at 08:34 PM
sorry about your lost.a lot of people lose there childen in one year, but that the way life is.you cant help it, its just life.just dont rember want happen to him rember want good about him not bad.becase it will just get hard if you rember things that are bad and dont saidit is your fault becase it is not.
Posted by: lillie on Dec 17, 2007 at 08:23 PM
i'm very sorry about your son.everyone misses him so much.he didn't know me but i went to the same school as him. he was everyone best friend.allmost.
Posted by: lillie on Dec 17, 2007 at 07:48 PM
Ryan was smart and taleted he was also good at gutair he was good at music and good at hunting he was alot of people was his best friends with alot of people i'm very sorry about his death.
Posted by: zack on Dec 17, 2007 at 07:43 PM
Ryan was the best gutair player in the entier school, he was great at so many things.
Posted by: willie on Dec 17, 2007 at 07:40 PM
Ryan was my best friend it was a sad time when i found out about ryan's death,we miss you ryan !!!!!!
Posted by: alisha on Dec 17, 2007 at 07:37 PM
ryan!! we know youre in a better place but we need you to know that we love you alot and we hoped you would be here till the end of high school and also my sister ashley said she misses you and loves you. and so als osaid that you all the time made her laugh and she hopes that tylyn is okay because she talked to her and you when she was in the middle school but i wish you were still here and things also every body at school misses you to much we wish you the best in heaven and we hope you sleep in heavently peace so we thought you and tylyn would make it throuth high school with her but we still know that you two loved each other alot so we hope you the best in heaven R.I.P REST IN PEACE WE LOVE YOU ALOT!!!!!!! YOUR WHOLE INTIRE SCHOOL rest in peace ryan !! in loving memory of RYAN SETH CANTRELL!! WE LOVE YOU ALOT RYAN!!!!!!!
Posted by: Joni Waller on Dec 17, 2007 at 06:38 PM
Question to all of the judemental jerks...cant u just say IM SORRY to the family instead of placing blame on this one and that one.This is a hard enough time without ppl like u making it worse. I on the other hand want the family to know how deeply sorry I am that this has happened.May GOD be with ur family and friends in this tragic and deperate time.GOD BLESS U ALL
Posted by: alisha on Dec 17, 2007 at 06:04 PM
ryan was a good cousin he made all of us laugh we didnt want him to go but he had to !! the only thing i want you to do is to tell every body that you ove tylyn when she goes in heaven !!!!!!!!!!! i love you cousin !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: Jennifer on Dec 17, 2007 at 05:55 PM
Ryan will be missed . He was always one to cheer you up with you a funny saying. A real joy to be around. I'm so sorry for Coleen and the girls. He was loved so much.
Posted by: Ashley on Dec 17, 2007 at 05:44 PM
Ryan was a great person. Even though I didn't know him very well I'll miss him a lot. And I'm sorry for his family's loss. Tylyn I hope u r doing good, luv ya!
Posted by: Brittany S. on Dec 17, 2007 at 05:42 PM
I wasn't as close to Ryan as many others were, but I was close enough to him to know that he was a great guy. He always made me laugh and was always a good friend! He will be missed by many! ~In Loving Memory of Ryan Seth Cantrell!~
Posted by: carrie.J. on Dec 17, 2007 at 05:07 PM
Ryan was a very good person and all ways smiles he loved his girlfriend tylyn very much. he made every body happy and if you were sad he would make you happy in a secent!!!!!!!!!!! we wish his family and girlfriend the best!!!!GOD BLESS HIM!!!!!!!! I WILL PRAY FOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILY AND GIRLFRIEND!!!!we love you ryan!!!!!!
Posted by: james on Dec 17, 2007 at 04:27 PM
ryan was a very good kid and will be missed greatly. I had the oppurnity to sub him in class. He could make anyone laugh. He will be missed greatly.
Posted by: Anonymous on Dec 17, 2007 at 03:11 PM
You can not put the blame on his age. How many adult men/women have also died from an ACCIDENT shooting in the woods this year? Last year? Age has nothing to do with it.It was an accident. I'm sorry for your loss.
Posted by: Anonymous on Dec 17, 2007 at 03:07 PM
I'm sorry for your loss.For such a young man to be taken so early in life, just seems unfair. We don't always know the "why's" of when people are chosen to be called home, all we can do is live our lives until we are once again with our loved ones.
Posted by: andrew and seth on Dec 17, 2007 at 02:39 PM
Ryan was an awsome guy who will be missed greatly. He always had something to say that would make somebody laugh. Same as andrew just said he was one of the coolest people at blaine and man i'll miss ya alot.
Posted by: Brianna Osborne on Dec 17, 2007 at 02:38 PM
I love you so much Ryan...you will be missed be so many people. We will all miss the days you made us all laugh by just saying one word...I love you RYAN!!!
Posted by: Buck, Sabrina & Cara on Dec 17, 2007 at 02:20 PM
Ryan, We know you are in a lot better place than we are right now, but it is still so sad to believe that you are gone, just so sudden like this. We just wanted to tell you we love love and miss you very much!!
Posted by: Katelynn on Dec 17, 2007 at 02:00 PM
Ryan was one of my friends. I miss him so much. It's just so hard. I hope his family is doing better.
Posted by: unknown on Dec 17, 2007 at 01:48 PM
Ryan was a very nice boy, and he will be in my thoughts and prayers. He always made everyone laugh no matter what anyone was going through.He was a special person to everyone around him.We will never forget you Ryan!!
Posted by: His Girlfriend Tylyn on Dec 17, 2007 at 01:48 PM
Ryan knew how to handle firearms,it was an accident. and he did have some one with him when it happened! This is a very sad thing that his friends and family are going through.and posting things like that arent acceptable. As his girlfriend i know personally that he knew ALOT about guns, and it wasnt his fault. Things Happen. Anyways, You are in my heart for all eternity Ryan, I love you.-Your girlfriend Tylyn
Posted by: melody salyer on Dec 17, 2007 at 01:41 PM
ryan was missed very badily come to school on monday morning and we had counselors talking to us we calmed down but the more we tried the more we hurt. the presence of him is still with us no matter where we go.
Posted by: Shonda and Joseph on Dec 17, 2007 at 11:57 AM
We are so sorry for your loss. Joseph will miss Ryan. Our condolences from our family to yours.
Posted by: Alicia Robinette on Dec 17, 2007 at 11:49 AM
Ryan will be missed greatly. He made me laugh everyday. As his homeroom teacher, I can't express the loss I feel. My heart and love go out to his family. If I can do anything, please let me know. We love you Ryan!
Posted by: willie on Dec 17, 2007 at 11:47 AM
sorry about your loss, hope you get to feeling better
Posted by: Roscoe on Dec 17, 2007 at 11:31 AM
I offer my sympathy and condolences to Ryan's family and friends. This is indeed very sad. I am a firm believer in learning gun safety. I was brought up with guns in the house and my dad and older brother were very firm in their teachings. So, to everyone who reads this please teach your youngster proper handling of firearms before turning them loose on their own.
Posted by: Vickie on Dec 17, 2007 at 11:07 AM
I would like to let the family of this precious child know that you are in my thoughts and my prayers. May God be with you and comfort you during this very difficult time and the holidays!!! God Bless!!
Posted by: shanda on Dec 17, 2007 at 10:48 AM
Ryan is a very loved friend and as a student. We have all been taking this really hard and coming to school today has eased the pain a little bit. We have counselor all around helping us with the tragic accident. I also want to say to his family that we all love him and miss him very much.
Posted by: Gage on Dec 17, 2007 at 10:48 AM
we will miss you and we love you very much
Posted by: Tylyn R on Dec 17, 2007 at 10:43 AM
Im really gonna miss you. Im not really sure what im going to do without you ryan. I love you so much and i hope your in a better place. Condolences to his friends and family -love, His girlfriend Tylyn
Posted by: Stephanie on Dec 17, 2007 at 10:23 AM
This is why younger kids should not be allowed to hunt. Younger children are prone to accidents. There should be a law made about young ones and guns.
Posted by: Becky on Dec 17, 2007 at 10:23 AM
My thoughts and prayers are with the Ryan's family and friends through this difficult time.
Posted by: kayla on Dec 17, 2007 at 10:20 AM
MISS YOU MAN!!!!--->love kayla!
Posted by: Anonymous on Dec 17, 2007 at 10:04 AM
very was a very good kid. my condonlences to the family
Posted by: heather on Dec 17, 2007 at 08:43 AM
I am so sorry.. As a mother I cant imagine what the parents are going through. was he alone? This family is in my prayers.
Posted by: chris on Dec 17, 2007 at 07:57 AM
wishing the family heartfelt sympathy and condolences.
Posted by: Beth Suiter on Dec 17, 2007 at 07:35 AM
How sad. My heart and prayers go out to the family.
Posted by: Anonymous on Dec 17, 2007 at 07:34 AM
very sad! where was the adults?
Posted by: Harrison Bergeron on Dec 16, 2007 at 11:50 PM
This is very sad news. My condolences to the family.
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