A 9-year-old boy was killed on April 29 after being struck by a vehicle while riding his bicycle near his home in Pleasant Grove, a city about 40 miles south of Salt Lake City.
The boy, Dalton Gibbs, was riding his bike two blocks from the Mount Timpanogos Utah Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints when the incident occurred. Emergency responders attempted life-saving measures at the scene, but he was pronounced dead from his injuries.
Authorities have not publicly identified the driver involved in the collision. No criminal charges have been announced as of this writing. The investigation remains ongoing.
Dalton was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and lived in the Pleasant Grove area with his family.
In a world that often equates justice with retribution, the Gibbs family is offering something different: Christlike mercy. “Dalton was and is a disciple of Christ,” Tyler said. “He lived with kindness, patience, and compassion. That’s the example he set. So in his honor, we choose to forgive.”
Lily Eggett had only just met Dalton at a friend’s baptism, but was impressed by him nonetheless and reflected on the community’s shared faith and strength in the face of such devastating loss. “Even in horrible situations like this, they have faith and can find hope,” she wrote. “I’m grateful for the knowledge that families can be together forever and that Heavenly Father can give us comfort when we ask him.”
In the days following the incident, members of the community organized vigils and public displays of support, including lining Dalton’s street with American flags in his memory. A GoFundMe fundraiser was launched shortly after the accident to assist the Gibbs family with related expenses.
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