Tree planted at Glendale Little League complex in memory of 8-year-old Nikolai Hanson

GLENDALE, Wis. (CBS 58) -- If you go to a little league game in Glendale this summer, you'll notice a young tree with a brick at the base. That tree was planted Saturday, May 16, to honor the memory of 8-year-old Nikolai Hanson, who once played at the Glendale Little League complex. 

"Little league teaches us about teamwork, resilience and community. Today we dedicate this tree to a teammate, Nikolai, who embodied all of these things. Always showed up with a smile on his face, eager to be a great teammate." 

Hanson died in 2024 in a tragic accident. He was hit by accident by the family car as he waited at a bus stop. 

Saturday's powerful tree planting ceremony, with players and coaches gathered in uniform, creates a living reminder that even a child like Nikolai can have a lasting impact on the world around him. 

"We partnered with the board of directors, the little league community and the local community and really tried to find a way to memorialize his place, to insure he always had a place on a team here at Glendale Little League," said Brandon Finger, umpire-in-chief for Glendale Little League. "We decided that a tree did that as it grows in its place and he'll have a roster spot for eternity and reminding us that every child that steps onto this field becomes something bigger than the game itself." 

The inscription at the base of the tree calls Nikolai, "a teammate, a friend, our brightest light and strongest spirit."