Kit was born on February 12, 1998. He was the youngest child in a family of seven children. Shortly after he was born his parents divorced, so he was raised by a single mother for most of his life. He grew up to be a very gracious young man. He cared about everyone he met. He would almost always sacrifice his own needs to provide for someone else. He was loved by everyone who met him and, because of his caring nature, he made loyal friends who were faithful to him throughout his life.

On August 1, 2013, Kit and one of his close friends decided to ride their skateboards to Walmart, which is about three miles away. It was getting dark and he was supposed to be home at dark. Kit called me to ask if he could go to Walmart with Ben and his mom. Then Ben’s mom would bring him home. But that wasn’t exactly what they were planning on doing. Instead, they rode their skateboards along one of the busiest streets in Ogden in the dark. Along the road, there were places where there were no sidewalks so they rode in the street.

Kit was the furthest out in the street, and he was hit by a truck and killed instantly. There are a lot of unanswered questions about how the accident happened. There has never been a clear explanation as to why the driver did not see him, but even if the questions were answered, it wouldn’t change the outcome. There has been a huge, gaping hole in our family and our community since he died. He had a positive impact on so many people because he cared so much. The world lost one of its brightest lights that day.

If Kit had told me the truth that night, I would not have let him ride his skateboard to Walmart in the dark on Washington Blvd., and this wouldn’t have happened. As young drivers, it is important to understand why your parents counsel you. Your parents love and care about you more than anything else in the world. When they are telling you things, it is because they want you to be happy and safe. They are trying to protect you. When they show you how to drive carefully, follow what they say. When they tell you to be home by dark, there is a reason for that. They want you to be safe. It’s not because they want to control you, it’s because they love you. Be grateful that you have parents who care enough to teach you these things. When your parents speak to you, open up your hearts a little bit. They are your best friends… they will always have your back.