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Police have appealed for witnesses after an eight-year-old boy died after being struck by a car near the entrance to a service station in Co Derry.
Daniel Bradley died after the incident on Glenshane Road in Maghera on Thursday night.
His parents James and Janice said their son, who had autism, changed their perspective.
“He taught us to embrace autism and we quickly learned from him that different is not less.
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“We love you. Dan the Man - Forever in our hearts.”
Daniel’s school and local Gaelic Athletic Club also paid tribute. Kilronan School in Magherafelt described him as “lively, full of fun and popular”.
Watty Graham’s GAA Club in Maghera postponed a tournament which had been due to take place on Saturday out of respect for the family.
SDLP Mid Ulster MLA Patsy McGlone said the local community is rallying around the family. “My thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of this young boy as they come to terms with this terrible loss,” he said.
PSNI Inspector Andy Harvison urged any witnesses or anyone who may have captured dashcam footage of the incident to contact them.