Maverick Flinn, a joyful 4-year-old boy with a bright smile and a love for toy tractors, tragically lost his life along with his great-grandmother, Nancy Ann “Nanny” Fox, in a farming accident on June 23 in southern Indiana. Maverick had simply wanted to ride in the combine with his great-grandfather, but when they got off, a tragic accident involving a farm tractor took both his and Nancy’s lives.
The news devastated their family and shocked the small town of Seymour. In response, the local community rallied around the Flinn family. Fellow farmers and neighbors provided meals and brought equipment to help finish the family’s wheat harvest — something that would’ve taken 12 days was completed in just 24 hours.
A GoFundMe campaign launched in Maverick’s memory — originally hoping to raise $5,000 for a playground — has now surpassed $70,000, showing how deeply Maverick touched the hearts of those around him. Maverick’s obituary described him as full of energy and happiness, always making others smile. He loved being outdoors, playing with his cousins, visiting his dad at the fire station, and exploring fire trucks.
Nancy Ann Fox, 68, was remembered as a loving wife and grandmother who deeply enjoyed life on the farm. She loved cooking for her family during long days in the fields and relaxing on the porch with her husband. The Flinn family, deeply involved in public service — with both Maverick’s father and grandfather being firefighters — also received support from across Indiana. The State Fire Marshal is expected to attend Maverick’s funeral.
To honor Maverick’s life and help prevent similar tragedies, the family has launched the “Maverick Minute” — encouraging farmers to pause for 60 seconds before operating machinery to check their surroundings. Despite the heartbreak, the Flinn family vows to move forward:
“We’re going to keep farming and make sure this never happens again — in his honor,” said Maverick’s uncle, Zach Flinn.