The news about Dylan Hammond really struck me when I read it. He was only twenty-six and played varsity football for Columbia Central High School. He lost his life in a tragic accident on Interstate seventy-seven in Carroll County, Virginia, early Sunday morning on November 30th. Sometimes stories like this linger in your mind all day. This one did for me.
His girlfriend, Kayla Carroll, had been with him for almost two years and was also in the car during the accident. She survived, but the pain she must feel right now is unimaginable. Losing someone you love creates an emptiness that doesn’t go away. I still remember when a close friend from my own school died in a car accident. For many days, everything felt slow and heavy. Reading Kayla’s words reminded me of that feeling.
They were just four days away from celebrating their second anniversary. They had been together since December 5, 2021. After the accident, Kayla wrote him a message on Facebook. She expressed her love for him, how he made her feel special, how her heart is broken without him, and how she wants him to visit her in her dreams. It felt very personal and honest, and anyone who has loved someone can understand her pain.
Dylan also leaves behind his mother, Angie Navarro Bame, his close friends Dalton Tiell and Charles John, and many others from his family. His mother shared her feelings online, too. She said Dylan was her whole world and that she was proud to call him her son. She even changed her profile picture to one of the two of them together. She hasn’t shared more information yet because she is still trying to deal with this enormous loss.
The accident happened a little after five in the morning near mile marker eight. The weather was cold, and the road was slippery. Police reported that a pickup truck was traveling north in the left lane when it struck the rear of a tractor-trailer and slid into the median. Shortly after that, Dylan was driving his Tesla Model 3 in the left lane. He tried to move into the right lane and hit another tractor-trailer. After that, his car returned to the left lane and crashed into the first tractor-trailer.
Firefighters had to cut the car to get him out. Even though he was wearing his seatbelt, his injuries were too severe, and he did not survive. A few other people were hurt and taken to nearby hospitals, but thankfully, their injuries were not life-threatening.
Dylan grew up in Fostoria, Ohio, and later moved to Columbus. He had worked at Pastimes Pub and Grill for about nine years. He started at their Crosswoods branch, then moved to Grandview, and recently helped at the Hilliard location. His friends from Pastimes created a GoFundMe page to help his family with funeral costs.
His best friend Dalton said Dylan was like a brother to him. They had talked just a week before the accident. Dylan was excited about what was coming next in his life. Many people said he truly loved his cats and talked about them all the time.
Right now, there is no update from the family on his funeral or memorial. Everyone is awaiting more details. It is a challenging time for his mother, his girlfriend, his friends, his teammates, and all who knew him.
I hope they find strength. Losing someone so young feels unfair every single time.
Rest in peace, Dylan Hammond. You may also be interested in: Promising Basketball Player Maliyah Brown’s Death Leaves Her Parents Jenny and Ron Heartbroken
