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PLEASANT GROVE — Four children who lost their father last week will remember him as a devoted dad who valued family time above all else, according to family members.
Talon, 9; Landon, 6; Camden, 3; and Navy Childs, 9 months, lost their father Friday when an avalanche trapped him while he was snowmobiling in Emery County. James Paul Childs, 32, had been snowmobiling with family members when he told them he wanted to climb a hill.
The group realized after a few minutes that an avalanche had been triggered, but could not locate Childs. Search crews located Childs nearly four hours later.
Thayne Garner, Childs' brother-in-law, said Camden and Navy don't understand what happened to their father, although Camden asks, "Where's dad?" Talon and Landon are "definitely struggling with it."
"I think one of the best things we've been able to tell them is that their dad loved them and that even though their dad is gone, that their dad's love is still with them, and they'll be able to carry their dad's love with them even though he's not there," Garner said.
Talon and Landon, and maybe even Camden, will remember their father as a devoted man who put his family first and left work at work, Garner said. When Childs got home from his job as vice president of business development at Burg Pediatric Dentistry, the first thing he did was go to his kids.
"The thing he was known for was he would come home from work and wrestle with his boys, and that's what he loved," Garner said. "He'd come home and they'd get on top of him and everyone wrestled for a while, and it was one of those things, when dad got home."
Because of the time he spent with them, the kids are likely to be BYU and Jazz fans for life, according to Garner. Jazz basketball games, BYU football games — Childs always had his boys with him, dressed up and ready to cheer. Every game that comes on, they'll remember going with their dad, Garner said.
"I think one of the best things we've been able to tell them is that their dad loved them and that even though their dad is gone ... they'll be able to carry their dad's love with them even though he's not there," Garner
Sometimes they went hunting — most of the time not catching anything, but spending time out in the woods, boys being boys.
"Everything from hunting to fishing, basketball to football, he always did it with his kids," Garner said. "I think the memories, whenever they're sad or struggling, whether it's now or in five years or 20 years, I think they'll think of the activities with their dad and the time he spent with them, because I think time is something you can't buy."
Childs learned how to be a father from his own dad, a school teacher from Gunnison who was snowmobiling with him the night of the avalanche. Everything Childs did with his children, his father did with him as a child.
"I think that's where he learned about family," Garner said. "He came from a very good home with parents who loved him and included him and his siblings, and he was able to pass that on to the next generation."
Childs grew up in Gunnison and served a mission in Argentina for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints before attending Brigham Young University. At a football game there, he met Cheyenne, the woman he would end up marrying. The two would have celebrated their 11th wedding anniversary on March 29.
Cheyenne Childs said three things have given her strength since her husband's death: "knowing that there is more after this life and that James will continue living," seeing her children and knowing she needs to give them strength, and having the support of friends and family.
Support has poured in from friends, family and strangers alike since Childs' death Friday. The family has been amazed not only at how many people have donated to Childs' memorial fund*, but at the amount of phone calls, emails, Facebook posts and tweets sent in support of Cheyenne and her four children. In Cheyenne's hometown in Missouri, a fundraiser has already been set up for April 27.
"I think most of the time we hear about all of the bad things, but to hear how many people in the past few days have come out with support, I think that's a big deal," Garner said. "It's amazing to see how many people — some we don't know or have never even met — and yet people are supportive. It's been amazing in that aspect."
To Garner, the support has come in part because of the love Childs had for his family evidenced in his actions in life.
"I think for most of us, that's what we'll remember him by. It's not his work, it's his time with his kids," he said. "Any time he ever did anything, it was either with his parents or with his kids. He was a very family-oriented man, and if it were me that had gone, that's how I'd want to be remembered, as well."
*ksl.com has not verified the accuracy of the information provided with respect to the account nor does ksl.com assure that the monies 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 advisors and otherwise proceed at your own risk.
