Hayes Ryan Hamaker, a 6-year-old boy from Laramie, Wyoming, died on Thursday, August 13, 2026, in a tragic accident on his family’s ranch. His death has brought profound grief to his parents, Ty and Alison Hamaker, his sister, relatives, friends and the close-knit rodeo community that had watched him grow into a bright and unusually personable little boy.

Hayes was born in Laramie on August 2, 2020. Although he was only six, those who knew him often spoke about a personality that seemed much bigger than his age.

He was known affectionately as “Hazer” and was especially recognizable for his enormous, ear-to-ear smile. But the stories being shared about Hayes suggest that his smile was only part of what made him memorable.

He had a remarkable way of making people feel as though they mattered.

According to his family’s obituary, Hayes did not simply listen when someone spoke to him. He paid attention. He looked at people, listened carefully and seemed genuinely interested in what they had to say. Once he met someone, he considered that person a friend.

That quality followed him wherever the Hamaker family went.

Hayes Hamaker Was a Child Who Loved People

Hayes spent much of his young life around his family’s ranching and rodeo world. He loved being around people, and rodeo grounds became places where his personality seemed to come alive.

He was the kind of child who could arrive at a rodeo and quickly find himself surrounded by other children and adults. His outgoing nature made it easy for people to remember him, and his connection with the rodeo community extended far beyond simply attending events with his family.

He loved rodeo life because it allowed him to be close to the people he loved most.

His favorite trips included riding with his father in the family semi while hauling animals to rodeos. For Hayes, those journeys were not merely travel. They were time with Dad, time around animals and another opportunity to be part of the world he loved.

His family said he “lived to rodeo with his family” and to see the many friends he had made along the trail.

A Little Boy Who Wanted to Help

Away from rodeo grounds, Hayes was happiest when he could be involved in ranch life.

He wanted to help wherever he could. He enjoyed riding his bicycle, snow machines, four-wheelers and Rangers, and he loved climbing into his grandfather’s equipment.

The ranch was not simply where Hayes lived. It was a place where he could explore, work alongside his family and feel included in the everyday activities around him.

He also loved animals, particularly his dogs and horses.

At home, some of his favorite moments were quieter ones.

He enjoyed movie nights with his mother, when they would snuggle together on an air mattress. He loved listening to music and eating spaghetti — according to the family obituary, he could seemingly eat his weight in it.

Church was another meaningful part of his life. He enjoyed getting dressed up and going to church in Centennial with his Grammy.

Those small details offer perhaps the clearest picture of who Hayes was: a little boy who loved adventure but was equally happy being close to his parents, grandparents, sister, cousins and friends.

Hayes Loved His Family and His Time in Michigan

Family was at the center of Hayes’ world.

He loved traveling by airplane to Michigan to spend time with relatives. While there, he enjoyed swimming in his great-grandmother Gigi’s pool, boating with his aunt Kelsey and uncle Zach, and running through the grass with his cousins in the backyard of his Nene and Papa.

Those ordinary childhood experiences became part of the memories his family will now hold onto.

Hayes is survived by his parents, Ty and Alison, and his sister, Mesa. His extended family includes his grandparents JD and Candy Hamaker, great-grandfather Larry Romsa, grandparents John and Denise Petchauer, his uncles Blaze and Colt Hamaker and their families, aunt Kelsey Brouwer and numerous cousins and other relatives.

His family described him as a child who was deeply loved not only by his immediate relatives but by countless friends and members of the Laramie and rodeo communities.

Hayes Hamaker Cause of Death

Hayes Ryan Hamaker died on August 13, 2026, following an accident on his family ranch.

The family’s obituary confirms that he died on the ranch, but it does not provide specific details about what caused the accident or how the fatal injuries occurred. Those circumstances should therefore not be filled in with speculation.

What is clear is that his death was sudden and devastating for a family and community that had known him as an energetic, affectionate and exceptionally outgoing child.

The Rodeo Community Mourns

News of Hayes’ death has resonated particularly strongly throughout the rodeo community.

The Hamaker family has longstanding connections to the rodeo world, and Hayes had already become a familiar and much-loved figure around the events his family attended.

Daniel Beard, co-owner of Summit Pro Rodeo, shared a heartfelt tribute following Hayes’ death. The message described the heartbreak surrounding the family and remembered Hayes as a child whose personality drew people toward him.

For people who encountered him at rodeos, Hayes was not simply Ty and Alison’s young son.

He was Hayes.

The smiling little boy who would make friends.

The child who wanted to talk to people and truly listen.

The youngster who loved animals, ranch equipment, rodeo trips and being with his family.

That is the memory many people are now carrying.

Hayes Hamaker Celebration of Life

A Celebration of Life for Hayes was held Monday, August 24, 2026, at 1 p.m. at the UW Cliff & Martha Hansen Teaching Arena in Laramie.

The family asked those attending to wear blue, which was Hayes’ favorite color.

In lieu of flowers, the family requested donations in Hayes’ name to Children’s Hospital Colorado or Open School in Laramie.

The family also expressed gratitude for the overwhelming support they received following Hayes’ death.

Remembering Hayes Ryan Hamaker

There are details in a child’s life that might seem small when they happen but become precious after that child is gone.

A favorite meal.

A movie watched beside his mother.

A ride with his father.

A swimming trip to see relatives.

Running outside with cousins.

Going to church with his grandmother.

Spending time with horses and dogs.

Standing around a rodeo and greeting people as though he had known them forever.

For Hayes’ family, those memories are now part of the story of the little boy they will never stop loving.

His life lasted only six years, but the number of people he touched in that short time was remarkable.

Hayes Ryan Hamaker will be remembered for his infectious smile, his curiosity, his love of people, his affection for animals, his enthusiasm for ranch life and rodeo, and the extraordinary warmth he showed toward those around him.

His family has described him as having a loving soul and a presence that made people want to know him.

That may ultimately be one of the most lasting parts of his legacy.

Hayes did not need decades to make an impression.

He did it in six years.

May Hayes Ryan Hamaker rest in peace. May his parents, sister, grandparents, cousins, friends and the entire rodeo community find strength in the memories of the joyful little boy whose smile and spirit meant so much to so many.

Disclaimer

This obituary is based on publicly available obituary information and statements shared by the family and members of the rodeo community. Details concerning Hayes Ryan Hamaker’s accident have not been publicly described in full, and no unconfirmed circumstances should be inferred. Funeral and memorial information may change according to the family’s wishes. This article is intended to respectfully document publicly available information and may be updated if the family releases additional details.