Dylan Mitchell

About Dylan

Dylan was born on Christmas Day, December 25, 1991. He grew up in Clayton, CA with his parents, Julie and Paul, and his three younger brothers. Dylan was sweet, outgoing, athletic, and the most charismatic person. Making friends was natural to him, and no matter where he went, he made friends with people. People gravitated toward him and his smile was hard to resist! He cared deeply for people and anyone that knew him, loved him.

Dylan not only had one of the best personalities, but he was multi-talented. He was a star wrestler, excellent swimmer, and water polo player. His passion though was golf, and he absolutely adored the sport. He dreamed of one day becoming a pro golfer. He even worked at two different golf courses, just so he could play daily. He also loved sharing his love of golf with his three younger brothers and enjoyed teaching them how to play.

Teaching came natural to Dylan, and he was great with kids. He loved teaching local children how to swim and was a much sought-after private swim coach and instructor. He was also a junior coach and big buddy for the local swim team that he had swam on for years. You could always count on seeing Dylan on the pool deck cheering on the younger swimmers and the little ones flocking to him. Dylan also was an outdoor ed counselor every year and the kids always wanted to be in his cabin. The local school would ask him each year to come back because they loved him so much.

Dylan’s three brothers adored him and looked up to him so much. He was such an incredible role model for each of them. His brothers always said they wanted to be like him because he was so good at everything he did, perhaps one of the biggest compliments a brother could give.

Dylan and his parents also enjoyed close relationships. He was the sweetest, most loving son. A deep thinker, but sensitive person, there were no better conversations than with Dylan. Dylan and his Mom talked daily.

Dylan had recently moved to San Francisco for an apprenticeship with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. Following in his dad's, grandfather’s and great-grandfather’s footsteps, Dylan was set to be the 4th generation of electricians in the family. He was excited to start this next step of his life and was enjoying branching out on his own.

Crash Description

On May 23, 2013, Dylan was riding his bicycle to work in San Francisco, CA, headed straight on 16th Street, when a garbage truck making a wide right turn without a signal, turned into him while he was going through the crosswalk to continue straight. The truck driver ran him over and continued down South Van Ness. He didn't stop, until he heard something under his vehicle and pulled over and removed Dylan’s mangled bike two blocks down the road. He then continued until another driver that had seen what happened, flagged him down and told him he needed to go back, that he had killed someone. Dylan died at the scene and no resuscitation efforts were made because he was crushed.

Life After the Crash

Dylan loved life and in his 21 short years, he lived it to the fullest that he possibly could. All of that was cut short because of one man’s decisions behind the wheel of a deadly garbage truck. In addition to not using any kind of turn signal, the garbage truck had no side guards or rear mirrors, which could have saved Dylan’s life.

After the crash, Dylan’s mom, Julie, became a founding member of San Francisco Bay Area Families for Safe Streets. The group is made up of and works to support traffic crash survivors and the loved ones of people who have been killed or injured in traffic crashes. Nothing can replace Dylan, so they will continue to fight for families to ensure that all road users are protected and so that other families do not have to go through what they have had to endure.

Dylan’s family misses him dearly every single day. His brothers have lost their role model, his mom has lost her daily confidant. Every year at Christmas, which was his birthday, his family hosts a memorial toy drive for foster children in memory of Dylan. They have been doing it since 2014 after deciding to become a foster family themselves. Each year, hundreds of toys are donated to local foster children. Dylan’s absence has completely changed the holiday for the family and this toy drive helps them get through it and know that they are keeping his memory alive by helping other children.