WAYLAND — The tree fell shortly before 11 a.m. on Tuesday. Emergency responders transported the child by ambulance to Wayland Town Hall following the strike. He was subsequently airlifted to Massachusetts General Hospital for treatment.

A camp counselor sustained minor injuries in the incident and was released from the hospital. Camp Chickami is operated by the West Suburban YMCA based in Newton.

West Suburban YMCA President and CEO Jack Fucci issued a statement regarding the death. "The entire West Suburban YMCA family is grieving the loss of a young camper when a tree fell at Camp Chickami in Wayland on Tuesday." Fucci said. He added that the organization is keeping the camper's family foremost in its thoughts during this extraordinarily difficult time.

Fucci stated that grief counseling and other support resources are being made available to camp staff, campers, and their families. Acting Wayland Police Chief Mark Hebert also offered condolences in a statement. "I want to offer our sincere thoughts and support to the family and friends who are facing this tragic loss," Hebert said.

Camp Chickami will remain closed for the remainder of the week. The closure follows the fatal accident involving the young camper and the injury to the staff member.

Timeline

On August 19, 2026, an 8-year-old boy from Sudbury died after being struck by a fallen tree at Camp Chickami. The tree fell at Camp Chickami on Boston Post Road shortly before 11 a.m. on Tuesday, August 19, 2026.

The child was transported by ambulance to Wayland Town Hall and then airlifted to Massachusetts General Hospital on August 19, 2026. A camp counselor sustained minor injuries in the incident and was released from the hospital on August 19, 2026.

What's New

Acting Wayland Police Chief Mark Hebert provided additional comments regarding the incident. He said he wants to offer sincere thoughts and support to the family and friends who are facing this tragic loss.

Further reporting identified the operator of the facility.

Why It Matters

The death of the 8-year-old camper has resulted in the immediate closure of Camp Chickami for the remainder of the week. This action affects the camp staff, campers, and their families, for whom the West Suburban YMCA is making grief counseling and other support resources available.

The incident involved both a fatality and an injury to a staff member, prompting responses from both the camp operator and local law enforcement. The West Suburban YMCA leadership expressed grief over the loss, while the Acting Wayland Police Chief offered support to those affected by the tragedy.