On Saturday, March 20, the family of Payton Lindsey held a tree-planting ceremony at Dawson County Middle School in honor of the late DCMS student’s birthday. 

According to school officials, about 100 to 120 students, staff and community members attended the ceremony on Saturday morning. The middle school band played several songs during the event and one of Lindsey’s best friends sang “Happy Birthday”. 

Lindsey passed away on Dec. 6, 2020, and March 20 would have been his 12th birthday. The tree planted at the middle school will serve as a lasting reminder of Lindsey’s time at the school, according to Dawson County Middle School Principal Randi Sagona. 

“Saturday, March 20 was our student Payton Lindsey’s twelfth birthday. We lost Payton earlier this school year, and our school family celebrated his life and his birthday by hosting a tree planting ceremony,” Sagona said. “Payton will never be forgotten, and we are honored that, with the planting of this tree, his memory will forever be part of the landscape of Dawson County Middle School.”