The life of a 15-year-old Palmetto High School student was cut short early Thursday after he was hit by a car.

  • Myquarios Kelly killed in Thursday morning crash
  • Father says 'I lost my heart, man'
  • Friends, family gathered to pray around accident scene

Myquarios Kelly was killed when he was hit at about 6:30 a.m. on U.S. 41 in Palmetto.

"The speed limit here is 50 mph; (the driver) did not see the pedestrian crossing. He tried to stop in time, and unfortunately strikes the pedestrian with the front of his car," Florida Highway Patrol Capt. John Donovan said in describing what happened.

Myquarios was a sophomore. He was walking to school when he was hit.

"It's a tragedy, I lost my heart, man. That little boy there, he was the greatest," said Michael Kelly, the teen's father.

For hours on Thursday, friends and family prayed around the accident scene.

Kelly is trying to coming to terms with the loss of his son.

"I want my son back, but I know I can't bring him back," he said.

As the news spread of the fatal crash, the community gathered to remember the teenager.

"He was a great boy; he was happy," Kelly said. "I made sure he had everything he needed, everything that he wanted. I have nothing bad to say about him. He was an excellent teen."

The father is only asking for the community to keep the family in its thoughts.

"Everybody who has kids, they need to watch out for their kids and make sure that don't happen to them," he said.

The family says there was no school bus available to Myquarios, even though he lives past the two-mile radius from the school.

The Manatee County School District said it would not discuss that issue Thursday.

The crash is under investigation.