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9-Year-Old Dies After Being Found Unconscious In Pool At Birthday Party

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- A 9-year-old boy has died after being found unresponsive in a pool on Sunday.

Daniel Peso was at a birthday pool party at a friend's home when he was found unconscious in the shallow end. After tests Monday and today showed no brain activity, his parents made the difficult decision to say goodbye.

Minnewashta Elementary school in Excelsior is surrounded by green, Daniel Peso's favorite color.

His second grade teacher said the 9-year-old was responsible, caring and a great friend. He enjoyed: coding, creative writing and playing Minecraft. And she said he was a great big brother to younger sister Chedra.

Friends of the family say they felt helpless, and wanted to do something to help the Pesos.

"I mean it isn't just a lemonade stand, we're doing this for a really good cause," 10-year-old Olivia Penteado said.

With each pour, the realness sets in. Trying to understand at such a tender age how life can seem so unfair.

"When people think of Daniel, they all have smiles on their faces," Minnewashta school counselor Adam Jorgenson said.

Jorgenson said he's here to listen, and to help.

"You be real, you be honest, you be yourself and you encourage other people that are hurting to express their feelings to be real as well," Jorgenson said.

The community said they'll continue to lift the family up as they all learn what life is like without Daniel.

"We just love them and are thinking about them and we're here for them after this," mom Candyce Penteado said.

Daniel's mom, Chevis, is a volunteer at the elementary school, his dad Daniel is a teacher at Minnetonka High School.

His family decided to donate his organs.

A fund has been set up to help the Pesos with medical costs. The $850 the lemonade stand raised will go to that.

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