Oliver Tree’s mother recalls their final conversation in emotional tribute
Oliver Tree’s mother, Christine Begin Nickell, delivered a heart-wrenching speech during his celebration of life.
At the Quarry Amphitheater in Santa Cruz, California, on Saturday, July 25, Nickell went on stage and paid emotional tribute to her son, who lost his life in a tragic helicopter crash.
She started her speech, revealing why she gave Tree a “grounding name” when he was born by saying, “I wanted to give him roots, but from the beginning, he wanted to soar.”
Nickell went on to share that the ULTRAMAN crooner was a “sweet and mischievous child,” as well as he was a “bolter, the kid who wanted to run, explore and not look back.”
Calling to mind, she unveiled, “When Oliver was very young, he’d wake before sunrise, park himself in the hallway next to the bedrooms, and sing. While it was a lovely way to wake up, those years were exhausting, and sleep was precious. Looking back now, I realize those quiet morning performances were his humble musical beginnings.”
Notably, Tree’s teenage years were “tough” as it was the first time when he experienced grief after the death of his cousin Wayne and started using substances.
Nickell explained, “At 17, he walked away from drugs and walked toward music, a love that had been with him since he was young, but now had become a serious pursuit. Once he found music, he created a persona, a moniker, an entire world around it, and he immersed himself in it completely.”
She then recalled her last conversation with Tree, revealing that she asked him a day before his death about how he had been feeling since quitting smoking because “he promised he would give it up once he was on tour.”
Nickell remembered, “He FaceFimed me immediately and let out a huge puff of cigarette smoke in my face. But he was so happy and excited about life that day. He told us he was taking a helicopter ride to a house on a mountain top the next day to make music and TikToks with his friends.”
“He loved having epic days, each one more memorable than the last. The overwhelming outpouring of love and support since Oliver’s passing has been a profound source of comfort. I have witnessed humanity at its very best,” she stated.
It is pertinent to mention that Oliver Tree was among six people who lost their lives in a helicopter accident in Brazil on June 14, 2026.
