When I first heard of what happened to Tayden Tomblin, I shouldn’t have said it really hit hard because he was barely seventeen and San Marcos High School in Santa Barbara was his school. People used to refer to him as a water polo player and swimmer. I never knew him personally, but watched him in a few online matches, and he looked like the kind of person who would put every effort into everything he does. He wore this broad smile, which made him rather remarkable.
Tayden went to LA for Thanksgiving weekend when he had a skateboarding accident. It is now the 27th of November. He was so happy to visit friends, pretty much just enjoying his time off like any other teen. That particular day, something went horribly wrong, and he did not make it. A child so young shouldn’t have to leave so early in the news.
From the accounts of his teammates and coaches, he brought this calm but fun energy into the pool. They said that he was someone who had always loved the ocean. He likes being around water more than anything, which explains quite a lot as to why he was so successful in water polo. Everybody defined him as someone who was always wonderfully nice. Like, a very comfortable person around you, even though you just met.
The San Marcos Boys Aquatics crew posted something on social media about him. They said how much it hurt to lose him and his significance to the entire team, among other things. There was no question that one could feel the sadness in their words and the weight with which he carried it all over the lives of many people.
His parents, Tyler and Rosalyn, as well as his sister Hudsyn, are left by Tayden. The part most impossible even to imagine is that his whole family was gathered when the incident happened. At least he died surrounded by the people he loved the most.
The thing that really moved me was what happened afterward. Tayden actually became an organ donor. That’s quite big. There was an Honor Walk at UCLA Medical Center on November 29 for him. More than 50 people turned out. Family. Friends. Hospital staff quietly lined up as he was moved from the ICU to the OneLegacy organ donation center. It was one of the saddest things they had ever seen, but one of the most beautiful because, even after death, he was still helping others.
His donations are going to save lives. That’s something not everyone gets to do. Kind of shows what kind of person he was. Even with a very short life, he is giving others a chance to live longer.
A GoFundMe page was started to help the family with hospital and funeral expenses. It reached tens of thousands. People continued sending donations to show support for the family. No parent should have to go through something like this. And those messages do show how much love surrounds them.
Many friends posted about him, too. For example, Mike Reed wrote on his Facebook wall about Tayden, saying that his organs are going to bring other individuals to ‘life and love.’ Another one who was known to Tayden’s mother through work, Ashley Lynn Butler, posted how heartbroken she is and called out for others to lend the family a helping hand. Those messages show how many people cared for him.
Students began putting flowers in Tayden’s senior parking spot at San Marcos High School. This is small, but these things show how deeply the whole school is feeling the loss. A little thing like that means a lot.
A public celebration of life will be announced soon. People want to come together to remember him and to share stories about the years they spent with him.
Tayden Tomblin may have been young, but he gave much to those around him. Ty builds smiles; he played hard for his teams. He was loving. And even after steering away, he is saving lives. That is something that will never be forgotten by anyone under heaven. Rest in peace, Tayden. You will be remembered by so many. You may also be interested in: Six Survivors and One Life Lost in the Texas Crash That Took Jacob Rodriguez
