Tyson MacDonald's family remembers him as a good, carefree kid who loved sports

Tyson MacDonald's parents say he was a cheerful, loving kid with a normal life who got along with everybody.  

They are stunned over how the 17-year-old was taken from them earlier this month, allegedly killed by two other young people.

"He was a great kid. His friends loved him. Everybody loved him," said Tyson's mother, Amanda MacDonald, in an interview with CBC News two days before Christmas. 

"It's just devastating. We're in disbelief. There are families getting ready for Christmas, and we're getting ready to go to the funeral home and make arrangements. It's just not the way it should be." 

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Tyson's parents sat down with CBC at the home of his mom and stepdad in the eastern P.E.I. community of Belfast, where his stocking was hung up and presents for him lay under the tree.  

They said they want people to know who their son was, and how much they appreciate all the community support that is pouring their way as they grieve his loss. 

The parents said Tyson was a care-free kid who loved sports, especially hockey, along with riding ATVs and dirt bikes. 

"He didn't have a care in the world — other than when supper was going to be ready," said Tyson's stepfather, Trevor Morrison.

"He did well in school, he played sports, he bought his own car. He wasn't into bad things. He was a normal teenager, but not into things you might think would land him where he is now," added his stepmother, Shannon Morriscey.

"He had his whole life ahead of him and it was taken from him. It's not right." 

Tyson went missing on Dec. 14 after leaving home to go to a hockey game with friends. 

After a six-day search, RCMP reported they had found a body, presumed to be that of Tyson. 

Two young people have now been charged with first-degree murder and a variety of other charges.

"It's a nightmare that you can't wake up from. The hurt will never go away," said Tyson's dad, Kent MacDonald. 

Police have shared few details about what happened to Tyson. Some can't be shared at this point, since publishing them could breach the Youth Criminal Justice Act by identifying the two accused, who are both under the age of 18.

Tyson's family has a lot of questions. 

"We just keep coming back to why? Why Tyson? Why did this happen to him? He was a good kid," said Morriscey. 

"How are his parents supposed to have closure until they can someway wrap their head around how this was done to him?"

Tyson was a Grade 12 student at Montague Regional High School and would have graduated at the end of this school year. 

He had talked about studying a trade, possibly welding. 

"He definitely wasn't going to be a mechanic," his father said with a laugh. "He'd come in and do some welding with me at the shop. He was better at it than I was."

Tyson's parents say the one thing helping them through right now is all the support they've received and the many community efforts to honour their son's memory — from a "Leave the Light On" campaign to a message from Montague Regional High asking people to do eight positive things over the next eight days in recognition of Tyson's jersey number 8.

It's definitely helped us, knowing everybody cares and everybody loved Tyson so much.— Amanda MacDonald, Tyson's mom

"There's been people leaving their lights on for Tyson and with their hockey sticks on the doorsteps in Yukon, Yellowknife. We've even heard of it as far away as the U.K., people that just know other people that know us," said Kent. "It's so overwhelming."

"I've had mothers message me personally that have lost children, just letting me know they're there," added Amanda MacDonald.

"It's definitely helped us, knowing everybody cares and everybody loved Tyson so much."