Charlie Laake Birely was 11 years old and had autism. Charlie was from Stuart, Florida. Charlie Birely died on Sunday, August 31, 2014, when the houseboat where his family lived caught fire on the St. Lucie River and was engulfed quickly in flames. Other members of the family were hospitalized for smoke inhalation, but Charlie died in the tragedy. His parents are Brian Birely and Karen Laake-Birely.
Donations can be made to support Charlie's family in their loss of their child and home at the website flycharliefly.com or through a GoFundMe Campaign.
Tribute:
"I'm hoping that we are all going to be happy and celebrating Charlie, and none of us will be upset. He was always happy, like, always smiling. You couldn't get him to frown ever (Nicholas Torres, Peer Mentor to Charlie)."
Links about Charlie Birely:
Obituary: Obituary for Charlie Birely
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