Father grieves son, Luke Bresette, 10, killed after sign falls on him at Alabama airport

A grief-stricken father, Ryan Bresette, has paid tribute to his son, Luke, 10, who was killed when a large flight information sign fell on him and his family at an airport in Alabama.

The family was on a layover at Alabama's Birmingham-Shuttlesworth Airport after a beach vacation in Florida when the tragedy happened.

Bresette wrote on his Facebook page post Saturday: "Words cannot describe the pain we feel."

"Thank you all for the love and support."

He urged community members attending their local church Sunday to wear "your favorite sports team shirt" in honor of his sports loving son.

The family experienced the unthinkable when a large flight information display board crashed down on them inside the airport Friday, CNN reported.

The crushing weight killed Luke Bresette and left his mother, Heather, in critical condition at a Birmingham hospital, officials said.

It took between eight to 10 airport employees to lift it off of them, Birmingham Fire and Rescue Battalion Chief Donald Jones said, KCTV reported.

Daughter, Anna Bresette, wrote on Twitter that her mother, Heather, broke both her ankles and her left pelvis, her brother Tyler suffered concussion, and another brother, Sam, broke his left leg and nose.

Witness Albert Osorio said the 300-plus pound sign toppled without warning, reported Al.com.

"The whole thing flipped down on those kids. It took all of us here to stand it back up. Everybody started screaming," he said.

An AL.com journalist who was on the scene saw the collapse occur near the Southwest ticket counter.

The reporter said it happened in the newly-renovated portion of the airport, the first phase of which was only reopened last week. 

Airport spokeswoman Toni Herrera-Bast said investigations are continuing into how the sign fell.

She confirmed it happened at 1.30 p.m. Friday in a pre-security area of the airport.