A 13-year-old boy in Missouri has died after he was hospitalized for complications related to the novel coronavirus.
Peyton Baumgarth died on Saturday from COVID-19 complications at Cardinal Glennon Children's Hospital in St. Louis, according to a GoFundMe campaign set up to pay for his medical expenses and funeral costs.
"Peyton was a wonderful young man, who always had a smile to share with you. He was so very sweet and caring and FUN," a description for the fundraiser reads. "Peyton is the youngest person in the state of Missouri to pass away from Covid19. This is a devastating loss that leaves a tremendous hole in the heart of every person that knew Peyton."
The eighth grader was described as a young boy who "loved Christmas, video games, and enjoyed making YouTube videos, playing Pokemon GO, playing football and being with his family."
"Peyton, buddy, you are forever in our hearts," the page's organizer added. "We love you endlessly and we will never forget you."
Peyton's death was confirmed in a email sent to parents and staff by school officials, KMOV reported.
In the letter, school officials said Peyton last attended school on Oct. 22 before entering quarantine four days later.
"We extend our heartfelt sympathy to the family," the statement read, according to KMOV. "The family also asks that we all remember to wear masks, wash hands frequently and follow guidelines. COVID-19 is real and they want to remind students and parents to take these precautions in and outside of school."
According to data from Missouri's COVID-19 dashboard, at least 17,185 people under the age of 18 have contracted COVID-19. The state reports that there have been at least 188,186 coronavirus cases among its residents to date.
As of Monday, there have been more than 9,330,500 cases of COVID-19 and 231,100 deaths from coronavirus-related illnesses in the United States, according to a New York Times database.
As information about the coronavirus pandemic rapidly changes, PEOPLE is committed to providing the most recent data in our coverage. Some of the information in this story may have changed after publication. For the latest on COVID-19, readers are encouraged to use online resources from CDC, WHO, and local public health departments. PEOPLE has partnered with GoFundMe to raise money for the COVID-19 Relief Fund, a GoFundMe.org fundraiser to support everything from frontline responders to families in need, as well as organizations helping communities. For more information or to donate, click here.
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