New England boy, 7, had just learned to ride his bike and was 'so proud of himself,'... until he accidentally pedaled onto main street and tragedy struck

By LAUREN ACTON-TAYLOR, US NEWS REPORTER Published: 15:17, 11 August 2026 | Updated: 15:18, 11 August 2026 A little boy who had just learned how to ride his bike was struck by a car and killed while out enjoying himself.   Max Rothschild was 'so proud of himself' after mastering the skill, only to lose his life in tragic circumstances in his hometown of Williamstown, Massachusetts, on Friday evening.  Max had been practicing for a longer bike ride on an upcoming family vacation when he 'unintentionally entered Main Street' and was killed, according to the Berkshire district attorney's office. Max had been wearing a helmet and the driver was 'not impaired by alcohol or drugs,' prosecutors said. 'Everyone who met Max was struck by how smart he was,' Max's obituary read.  'Max brought so much joy and love into all our lives. We will miss his incredible mind, his determination, his mischievousness, his adventurous spirit, his bossiness, his smile and all the little things that made him exactly who he was.' The seven-year-old is remembered as a 'good friend' who had a 'strong personality and knew what he wanted.' 'He had so much confidence. In pre-school we referred to him as the mayor of the school because he walked around like he owned the place,' the tribute continued.  Max Rothschild, 7, was 'so proud of himself' after he learned how to ride his bike, but his life was heartbreakingly cut short after he was struck by a car on Friday at around 5.30pm The Williamstown boy was practicing for a bike ride on an upcoming family vacation when he 'unintentionally entered Main Street' near Buxton Hill Road, seen above, and was killed 'He was also an amazing brother, even if fights did happen. He loved his siblings, Caleb and Ellie, and they will miss him every day.' Max loved swimming, skiing, math and learning, chess club and attending chess camp over the summer, his family wrote.  'He also loved soccer camp and was so proud when he was named player of the day on his last day of camp,' according to his obituary.  'He loved skiing, too. He loved our family trips to Vermont, eating pizza and playing arcade games the night before skiing, and then spending the next day skiing moguls and through the trees. 'He was just getting into golf and proudly told us the night before he died that he had won two of the competitions at his golf clinic. Max loved adventure of any kind, like ropes courses, ziplines, or hiking over rocks.'  Angela MacDonald, Max's swim teacher, wrote on his obituary page: 'I am deeply saddened and shocked to hear about Max. He was such a fun kid to teach swim lessons to. Always wanting to learn and be challenged. I will cherish these memories.' Baltazar Soza wrote on Max's obituary page: 'Max loved sports. He was on my baseball team and always knew which position he wanted to be in. Max was also on my scrimmage team at soccer camp last month and he won a trophy.  Max is remembered as a 'good friend' with a 'strong personality.' He loved swimming, skiing, math and learning, chess club and attending chess camp over the summer 'He was a good defender and always found a way to recover the ball. He also liked football and was a great catcher. Max was a fun friend and I will miss him.'  Max was said to spend time at the Williamstown Youth Center after school, his tribute page said.  'I had the privilege of spending my afternoons alongside Max at the youth center this past year,' Max Rhie wrote on his obituary page.  'Together we were little Max and big Max, though I often found myself addressing him, fittingly, as Mr. Max. He was never anyone but himself, and he wore his heart on his sleeve in the most wonderful way, through all of his highs and his lows.  'He seemed to experience life in high definition. Max was brilliant and intense, kind and generous, and he was as easy to love as a person can be.' Devan Bartels wrote on his page: 'We will never forget your sweet, smart, perfect boy. We will miss him at WES and at golf clinic. We are thinking of you and crying a thousand tears as we write this. Finding peace and healing seems like such an impossibility right now, but we wish for it one day.' The page said Max was a 'beloved' son, brother, grandson, nephew, cousin and friend.  According to the obituary, Max 'leaves behind a whole world of people who love him so much,' including his mother and father, Laura Kaufman and Adam Rothschild, his grandparents, his siblings, aunts and uncles and his cousins.  'We will all miss him forever. Seven years with Max was not enough time,' his obituary said.  An investigation into the crash remains ongoing. The Berkshire District Attorney’s Office said no charges have been filed at this time. The Daily Mail reached out to the Berkshire district attorney's office, the Williamstown Police Department and attempted to reach Max's family for comment.