Chatham, NJ, Callum McGookin, 11, Passes Away, Leaving His Parents, Liz And Bryan McGookin

A small New Jersey town is grieving the sudden loss of one of its brightest young members, and the outpouring of love from neighbors, coaches, teachers, and strangers alike speaks to the extraordinary life Callum McGookin lived in just 11 years.

Callum, a Chatham boy known for his infectious smile, his love of baseball, and a kindness that touched everyone he encountered, passed away in a tragic accident.

His family, parents Liz and Bryan, and younger sister Gemma, are now surrounded by a community determined to honor his memory in every way it can.

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A Boy Who Lit Up Every Room He Entered

Those who knew Callum describe him in nearly identical terms: joyful, curious, generous, and mature beyond his years. His kindergarten and second-grade teacher at SBS, Jennifer Broyer, recalled a boy with an unshakably positive outlook and a gift for making people feel seen.

A summer camp counselor remembered him as a role model who always looked out for his little sister. A mother of a special needs child wrote that her son, who is obsessed with ambulances, once peppered Callum with the same questions over and over at a community event, and Callum answered every single one with patience and warmth, never once showing frustration.

His baseball coach, Eric Treiling, shared a story that captures who Callum was in one vivid moment. During a summer playoff game in brutal heat, Callum told his coach he was going all out if any ball came his way.

The very next pitch sent a hard line drive to right field, and Callum sprinted full speed, lay out completely, and took the ball right off his eye. When his coach reached him, Callum rolled over with a bruise forming and asked one question: did I catch it? After a few tears in the dugout, he was back to cheering on his teammates. That was Callum.

A Community Coming Together to Carry His Legacy Forward

In the days since his passing, Chatham has responded with the kind of collective love that defines a close-knit town at its best. A memorial website at callummcgookin.com has become a gathering place where dozens of community members have shared memories, photos, and messages for his family.

A meal train has been organized to take the burden of cooking off the McGookin household during this impossibly hard time.

The Gold Ribbon Project has asked neighbors to tie gold ribbons around mailboxes and posts throughout town as a daily, visible reminder of Callum’s bright spirit.

And a Celebration of Life is scheduled for June 24th from 4 to 6 p.m. at Chatham Middle School, where friends, teachers, teammates, and neighbors can come together to remember him.

Friends from his Chatham Scout troop noted that Callum frequently collected donations and delivered them to Helping Hands NJ, a local food pantry. He did it knowing those donations helped feed other children. Now, the community is channeling that same spirit back toward his family.

The Callum McGookin Foundation is being established in his name, and donations can be made directly through the memorial website. His family has asked those who loved him to keep sharing memories, because reading them, they say, means the world.