A tragic incident took place at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia, where a 14-year-old boy sent a message to his mom before he was killed in a mass shooting.

His heartbroken sister has also spoken about the terrible event.

The boy, Mason Schermerhorn, was one of four victims who lost their lives in the shooting.

He had texted his mom while hiding in a school restroom, but sadly, he didn’t make it out.

Ronald Clark, a youth minister and chaplain, shared this information. He also mentioned how he tried to help search for Mason during the chaos of the shooting.

This story has left many grieving and searching for answers.

On the morning of September 4, when the shooting happened, Ronald Clark had stopped at a store on his way home. He received a call from his wife, who told him about the shooting at Apalachee High School. Clark immediately went to the school and offered his help to the police officers who were working at the command post.

Clark was assigned to assist the teams working on the investigation. After about an hour, he began encountering injured students who were in shock.

He described the situation as “challenging” and mentioned that although he wanted to help everyone, he understood that there was only so much he could do in such a large-scale tragedy.

Clark also highlighted the bravery of the victims who survived. He was impressed by their courage as they shared their experiences with him, which was part of their effort to cope with the trauma they had endured.

During the chaos, Clark tried to assist Mason Schermerhorn’s mom, whom he knew through work, in finding her son. She told Clark that she believed Mason, who was autistic, was safe because he had texted her from the restroom.

Clark remembered the mother saying, “Hey, I can’t find him. I’m just here to pick him up. I know he’s safe. He texted me that he’s in the restroom. Can you please help?”

The youth minister also highlighted what a great kid he was told Schermerhorn was, adding, “He […] loved life, didn’t have any issues with anyone. He was autistic, but that didn’t stop his glow.”

The youth minister also emphasized what a wonderful kid Mason Schermerhorn was. He said, “He […] loved life, didn’t have any issues with anyone. He was autistic, but that didn’t stop his glow.”

On September 5, WSB-TV released messages sent between a 14-year-old boy and his mom on Instagram. Although they didn’t reveal the boy’s identity, the messages provide a glimpse into how frightening and intense the situation was for those involved.

The boy reportedly texted his mom, “School shooting rn. I’m scared, pls, I’m not joking.” When she told him she was leaving work, he heartbreakingly replied with, “I love you.” In response to her question about where he was, he chillingly wrote, “Class. Someone’s dead.”

The 14-year-old shooter, Colt Gray, is expected to be charged with murder as an adult.

Following Mason Schermerhorn’s death, his sister, Alanna Wallace, has spoken about the tragedy in an interview with Fox 5 News’ Brittany Edney.

Wallace shared that her brother was a wonderful person who had a profound impact on many people, echoing the sentiments expressed by Clark.

Wallace, along with her family, shared touching videos of Mason Schermerhorn with Edney. She also talked about the hobbies Mason had recently picked up. He had started learning to play the trumpet because he wanted to follow in his big sister’s footsteps, as she had learned to play the instrument first.