A Givealittle page set up to pay for his son Dylan’s funeral costs reached $17,000.
The page describes Dylan as a “vivacious, courageous little boy. An “old soul whose big dreams of doing everything and going everywhere were cut short far, far too soon”.
“Becoming a bmxing, dirt biking, green-fingered engineer and more [dreams] were in his future - travelling the world, making the world smile,” the page reads.
The crash happened near the Mangatera Dog Park just off State Highway 2 in Dannevirke.
Dylan’s mother Chloe Foster earlier said her son was obsessed with dogs, but the fairy doors seemed to spark his imagination.
“He was always hunting for fairies. It became our thing.”
A friend took her to the dog park and down the walkway to the clearing where they found a little spot that would be perfect for a fairy garden, which has since become quite an attraction.
Her son had no fear, especially when taking on the hills at the Hawke’s Bay BMX club, she said.
“He was so brave and wanted to give everything a go.”
She raised him as a single mum, moving from Ashhurst to Napier when he was 6 months old.
“He was my whole life.”
On Tuesday at the Palmerston North District Court Mehlhopt pleaded guilty to the sole charge and accepted the police summary of facts.
His lawyer Peter Foster told the court he would be seeking Restorative Justice.
He will be sentenced in July.