Jack Davey was enjoying recess with friends when tragedy struck.

Jack Davey was only 11, a young boy with a bright future and a passion for sports, especially futsal and basketball.

His days were filled with games, friendships, and laughter — a joyful presence at Auburn South Primary School, where he was known for his big smile and spirit.

Tragically, that spirit was lost in a heartbreaking accident on Tuesday afternoon, when a car crashed through the school fence, striking him and his friends as they gathered at a picnic table during recess.

Jack's friends and family are remembering him not only for his athletic talents — having represented Victoria and even Australia in futsal — but also for his kindness.

Family friend Lucy Pristel, who started the online GoFundMe fundraiser for the Davey family shared, "He was so good at sport. He was just a sweet, sweet soul … He was sitting on a chair having a chat with the girls in the sunshine, which is just him."

In another tribute, the Australian Futsal Association recalled his recent win as part of the U12 Boys team.

"His talent shone brightly as he represented Victoria Futsal at the National Titles for the past two years. In 2024, he earned a place on the Australian U12 Boys touring team that visited Fiji," the statement said.

"He left a lasting impression on and off the court."

Supplied by Auburn South Primary School.

Jack's love for sports extended beyond futsal. Titans Junior Basketball coach Hannah Lowe described him as a "passionate young basketballer" and shared how Jack's presence lifted the team.

"A valued member of our community, this tragedy is unfathomable," Lowe said, "The club's thoughts are with Michael, Jayde, Olivia & Charlotte Davey, those impacted and the families of the other four children who sustained injuries."

Jack's passing has left a deep impact on both his local community and beyond, with his school becoming a hub of grief and remembrance.

Flowers, sports balls, and heartfelt messages have been left outside the fence, turning the scene of a heartbreaking loss into a memorial of love.

Jack's mother, dad and siblings visited the memorial on Wednesday afternoon to read all the tributes dedicated to him.

Auburn South Primary's principal, Marcus Wicher, voiced the community's resolve to support one another, saying, "We are entirely focused as a school community on the welfare of our students, staff and the broader school community."

"This school community is so wonderful and strong, and together we will get through this," he said. "Our focus is now on supporting our school community, our children, families, and staff.

"I request that the media respect our privacy and give us the space to grieve and to navigate this most difficult period."

Signed footballs at Auburn South Primary School's memorial for Jack. Image: AAP.

Auburn South Primary has reopened its doors with a strong network of support services for students, teachers, and families.

A community hub has also been established nearby, offering a safe space for anyone in need of solace or a listening ear at Anderson Park, Hawthorn from 11am Thursday.

"To provide immediate support, we are partnering with the SES, Red Cross, Victorian Council of Churches, the Salvation Army and the Victoria Police community policing unit to establish a community support hub at Anderson Park, corner of Henham Street and Anderson Road, Hawthorn," a council spokesperson said.

Federal Treasurer Jim Chalmers, addressing the media, echoed the sentiments of many Australians feeling the weight of this loss. "Our hearts just absolutely break for the little soul lost in that terrible accident," he shared.

As the community grieves, they also hold onto the joyful memories of Jack — the laughter, his sporting achievements, and the friendships he nurtured.

What we know so far about the Auburn South Primary School accident.

On Tuesday afternoon a car accident took place in east Melbourne. A 40-year-old driver had just collected her child at Auburn South Primary School, when she performed a U-turn on Burgess Street.

She crashed through the school fence and into a table where the five children, including Jack, were seated during afternoon recess, police said.

Jack suffered critical injuries in the collision, just after 2.30pm on Tuesday, and later died. Two 11-year-old girls, a 10-year-old girl and a 10-year-old boy were seriously injured and taken to hospital.

Image: Nine.

One of the children remains in a stable condition at Monash Medical Centre and another has been transferred to Dandenong Hospital in a stable condition.

The driver was arrested and interviewed by police before being released, Inspector Craig McEvoy said.

"It appears it is a tragic accident," Insp McEvoy told reporters at the scene. The woman and her child were not injured.

"From the community [to] the school community, the locals, the first responders, ambos, police — it's really tough," he said. "These events are always hard where there's death and serious injury, but especially difficult when there's children involved."

Police took statements from the school principal, teachers, parents and other witnesses. Ambulance Victoria sent multiple advanced life support and mobile intensive care vehicles to the scene.

Parent Lucy told radio station 3AW that her son was friends with some of the grade five students and possibly a prep student hit by the car during recess.

"We got a text message from the school just saying that Burgess Street was closed and then we... actually drove past, and I just saw one police car," she said.

"Then we just started hearing more and more police cars go down."

Lucy said she arrived at the scene to find parents hugging their children and each other.

"It's just every person's worst nightmare," she said.

Premier Jacinta Allan posted her condolences on social media, saying it had cast a "dark shadow" over the city.

"I'm sending my love and thoughts to the students, their families and the whole school community. And my thanks to the first responders on the scene," she said in a post on X.

Education Minister Ben Carroll said: "What happened yesterday was every parent's worst nightmare. We extend our sincere sympathies and heartfelt condolences to the family of the student who lost his life."

"This is a terrible tragedy. At times like this, school communities do come together."

Victorian Opposition Leader and Member for Hawthorn John Pesutto said the incident came as "a painful shock".

"Auburn South Primary is an outstanding local school with a tight-knit community of students, teachers, parents and friends, and this incident will come as a painful shock," he said.

Feature image: Supplied by Auburn South Primary School.