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SALEM — Tyrel Prior, 26, is not a statistic. He’s one of dozens of motorcyclists killed on Utah roads so far this year, but he’s also much more.
Emily Prior puts on a smile for her boys, 3–year-old Bryden and 1-year-old Henry, while she talks about their dad.
“What was your dad like?” She says as she hugs Bryden. “The best, huh? He is the best.”
Tyrel and Emily were married for four years. He was working as a CNA and going through nursing school. One week ago, he was driving home from work on his motorcycle when he was killed.
“It’s hard to not have him here and be able to walk through life with him hand in hand,” said Emily.
Utah Highway Patrol says a woman driving a truck turned left to get onto I-15 in Benjamin, right in front of Tyrel. He died after broadsiding the truck.
“He was a dang good son,” said his father, Joe Prior. “He was the kindest kid, always worried about everybody else.”
Joe says Tyrel was just like him in a lot of ways, including his love for motorcycles.
“When Ty decided to buy his, that was the one thing we talked about, you have to be safe,” said Joe. “You have to be prepared because people don’t always see you.”
Tyrel was wearing a helmet at the time of the crash. With at least 40 motorcycle fatalities so far this year, his family urges drivers to pay more attention and start seeing motorcyclists.
“Just watch for them,” said Emily. “It takes another two seconds.”
To them, Tyrel is not another statistic. He’s part of a family who will never fill his spot.
“As a parent, you’re not supposed to have funerals for your kids,” said Joe. “Nothing prepares you for it.”
And a father to two little boys who will have to rely on their mom, to fill their heads with memories of a man who loved them.
“We all just feel so blessed to have had him in our lives for the time that we did,” said Emily through tears.
There is a GoFundMe page and a bank account set up at Capital Community Bank to help Tyrel’s family.
