14-year-old dies in ATV crash 1 year after death of older brother, Kentucky family says

A 14-year-old boy who “loved the outdoors” died in an ATV crash near his Kentucky home, family members say.

Eric Harper was riding his 4-wheeler uphill Feb. 28 in Blaine when “it came back on him and crushed him,” his mother, Lisa Harper, said in a Facebook post.

The teen usually wears a helmet while he rides, but his mom said he was not when the accident occurred, WSAZ reported.

“He was the most kind hearted, loving, caring & adventurous 14-year-old you’d ever meet,” his sister, Cortney Harper, said in a GoFundMe. “He loved the outdoors & just being a boy.”

The fatal crash comes just a year after the death of Eric’s 27-year-old brother, Steven Harper.

Their mother described Eric as being the “lil brother twin” of his older sibling.

“He loved when people would tell him that he was just like Steven, he would smile so big cause he loved his big brother and missed him soo soo much,” Lisa Harper said. “And hard as it may seem to us left behind, Eric is with Steven again and he’s happy and pain free.”

Family members said Eric will be buried beside his brother near their home, WSAZ reported.

Blaine is about a 125-mile drive east from Lexington.

This story was originally published March 5, 2025 at 6:42 AM with the headline "14-year-old dies in ATV crash 1 year after death of older brother, Kentucky family says."