A 14-year-old boy described as "kind, adventurous and full of laughter" has died in Queensland Children's Hospital after being hit by a car near Gympie last week.
Levi Hanna, a year 9 student at Gympie State High, had only just stepped off his school bus with younger sister Scarlett, 12, when the accident happened on Tin Can Bay Road, near the Grimley Road intersection, at Canina, on Wednesday.
In a statement on Sunday, his mum Lilly Zrehen and stepdad Kiltan Kleemann described the teenager as "an amazing young man".
"He could always see the funny side of everything and he could always make us smile, and is still doing so via his secretive YouTube and Tik Tok videos, which he and his friends created," they said.
"Our boy loved all his friends, his fishing and footy. He was always so close to nature and animals, any creature that moved he would want to pick up no matter how slippery, slimy, scaly or hairy."
The family said Levi had stayed in contact with his biological father Todd Hanna "where many special times were had".
He also loved time with his stepdad Kiltan who "taught him everything from riding his first pushbike, which then turned to motorbikes, learning to drive a car around the farm, driving the tractor, chopping wood and becoming the capable clever little man he was."
His mum said the family planned many more adventures together.
"I know you will be with us," she said.
"We will catch you … that barramundi you always wanted to catch."
In 14 years, Levi had travelled to his favourite place Fraser Island "dozens of times", been to Uluru and up to Cape York twice "plus all the amazing places in between".
"He was truly lucky to have seen some of the most beautiful places that Australia has to offer," his family said.
"Our boy has lived."
The Gympie Junior Rugby League club said on its Facebook page Levi had represented the "mighty Devils" since he was seven years old, last year playing in the under-14s side.
"Tonight we will be holding a gathering down at the club house for anyone wanting to say farewell to our little legend Levi," the club wrote on Saturday.
"Please come dressed in your favourite fishing or footy gear and don't forget the Akubra."
