Father, son killed by tree at Georgia golf course | Online fundraiser

COLUMBUS, Ga. — A family is devastated after a father and son were killed when a tree fell on them at a golf course in west Georgia over the weekend.

Matthew Terrell Collins Jr., 29, and his father, Matthew Terrell Collins Sr., 58, were tragically killed on Sunday at Bull Creek Golf Course in Midland, near Columbus, when severe weather moved through the area.

“They were spending time together when the storm struck—sharing a moment between father and son that would unknowingly become their last,” an online fundraiser read.

RELATED: Two people killed after tree falls at Georgia golf course

The online fundraiser was set up to help support the Collins family during this difficult time. Matthew Jr. was described in the fundraiser as a “loyal friend, a kindhearted soul, and someone who always showed up for the people in his life.”

According to a Facebook post from the Columbus Police Department, Matthew Jr. was a former officer with the department. It stated that Matthew Jr. served the department with “pride.”

“He shared a deep bond with his father, and losing both of them so suddenly is a devastating blow to everyone who knew and loved them,” the fundraiser stated. “Now, we’re coming together to support the person who meant the world to them—Matthew Jr.’s and Sr.’s wife and mother, who is now facing the unimaginable: laying to rest both her husband and her son.”

The online fundraiser hopes to raise $20,000 to help cover the cost of funeral expenses for Matthew Terrell Collins, Jr. and Sr. If you would like to donate, click here.

“Let’s surround this grieving family with love, support, and the assurance that they are not alone,” the online fundraiser concluded.