Family pushes for national crossing guard recognition after father's death

SALT LAKE CITY — A Utah family is honoring their father's legacy by pushing for a national day of recognition for crossing guards, after he was killed while on the job in Layton last year.

Steven Winn, 67, was working as a crossing guard in January 2025 when he was hit by a driver after helping children cross the street.

He was known locally as the "Crossing Guard Santa" for his white beard and friendly presence.

"He loved what he did. He loved the kids. He loved the community," his daughter, Lisa Winn, said.

Lisa Winn said he had recently retired and had been working as a crossing guard for about three years.

Now, the family is working to raise awareness about the risks crossing guards face and to push for a national day of recognition on the National Day Calendar.

"We want to be able to honor his memory that way," she said.

An investigation by the Associated Press and Cox Media Group found that school crossing guards rank among the top five deadliest jobs in America.

"It's not something that I think most people understand, is how dangerous it really is. They really are putting their life on the line," she said.

The Winn family initially submitted a petition to the National Day Calendar that was not accepted. They say that setback led them to expand their outreach.

"That's when we really started to put it out to the community and say, 'Hey, can you help us make this a nationally recognized day?'" she said. "We've started a Change.org petition to ask for signatures. We reached out to different cities, different governments ... safety groups (and) schools, and asked for letters of endorsement. And we submitted our petition again and actually got it accepted."

This year, their efforts also led to Gov. Spencer Cox declaring Jan. 28 as Crossing Guard Day in Utah.

"It's a community coming together to recognize what the crossing guards do for our community," she said.

The Winn family hopes the recognition effort not only honors Steven Winn's legacy, but also encourages drivers to slow down near schools and crosswalks.

"The extra minute that you're saving getting to work in the morning is not worth our dad's life, it's not worth a child's life," his daughter said.

To move forward, the effort still requires an official registration fee. The family is seeking support to cover the cost through their GoFundMe*.

*KSL.com does not assure that the money deposited to the account will be applied for the benefit of the persons named as beneficiaries. If you are considering a deposit to the account, you should consult your own advisers and otherwise proceed at your own risk.

Related topics