19-Year-Old Remembered After He’s Fatally Struck on Rural Road: ‘the Light of Our Family’

A Utah mother is mourning her son after the 19-year-old was fatally struck by a vehicle on a rural road.

In a Dec. 17 statement, Duchesne County Sheriff Travis Tucker identified the victim as Kai Cowan of Arcadia, saying the teen “had been struck by a vehicle while walking in the lane of travel” the evening prior.

The incident happened around 10 p.m. local time on Dec. 16, KUTV-2 reported. He died at the scene.

Cowan’s mother, Sharell Cowan, told ABC4 that her son had been diagnosed with autism. A GoFundMe created by Cowan said Kai was “thrown a good distance” after being hit, and the Duchesne County Sheriff’s Office said the teen “succumbed to injuries sustained in the collision.”

“He was the sweetest boy ever. He always wanted to help everyone in any way he could. Always so happy and friendly,” Cowan wrote. “He chose to be an organ donor to help others when he was gone, and I respected his choice and made sure to follow through with it.”

She added that although Kai had autism, “He never let that stop him. He was smart, funny, and so loving.”

“He was the light of our family. He had a hard life with people treating him like he was less than. But he never stopped being who he was and always saw the good in people,” Cowan continued. “Our family is broken without him.”

Cowan also told ABC4 that Kai, a Hunter High School graduate, earned a 4.0 grade point average and pushed through challenges—especially when others doubted he would finish school.

“I was so proud of him for showing everyone what he was capable of and not letting anything stop him,” she said. “I wish there was more autism awareness and acceptance, understanding that just because someone is diagnosed with autism doesn’t mean they are less of a person. They are just different and special.”

Cowan said the teen—who loved pizza and donuts—“had strong emotions” and was constantly doing “small things like reminding me to drink water, helping me up when my foot fell asleep, helping my mom [and] his grandma get up and reminding everyone to sleep good and behave.”

Her greatest honor, she said, was being his mom.

“The world would be a better place if we all were a little more like Kai with how much he loved, his kindness, and how understanding he was,” Cowan told ABC4. “He was my hero and now he’s my angel. I learned a lot from him. He was a bright pure soul, and I am grateful to be his mom.”

She also shared one of his mottos: “In Kai’s words: ‘Life is love. Just be happy and have some pizza.’”

The Duchesne County Sheriff’s Office extended its condolences to Kai’s family and friends, adding that “at this time, there is no indication of criminal violations associated with the incident.”

“The investigation remains active and ongoing, and deputies are continuing to gather information to determine the full circumstances surrounding the crash,” authorities said.