Beautiful, luminant, loving, compassionate
A soft-hearted person, Tyler was kind, compassionate, and brave. Throughout his life, he was always looking out for others and seeing the good in them, despite the circumstances. His mother, Kim, believes he was here to teach people compassion, and that though his time on earth was short-lived, the impact he made continues to live on in the hearts of all who were lucky enough to know him. In addition to his kind heart, Tyler was adventurous and brave; he loved the outdoors and spent a lot of his time hiking, fishing, and snowboarding with his friends. He was also intelligent, charming, and loved a good challenge. He was a big fan of reading and collecting his favorite movies; his favorite book series was Game of Thrones.
Tyler loved holidays, and Thanksgiving was his favorite. One year, after moving to California and finishing treatment, he sent his mother a picture of the first Thanksgiving dinner he made all on his own. She was so proud to see him living independently and doing things he loved. The next year Tyler moved back to Vermont and attended the family’s Thanksgiving dinner. They were all thrilled to have him home, but that evening he relapsed and did everything he could to make it through the day, a true testament to his powerful will and love for his family. Unfortunately, that was his last holiday with his family, as he overdosed a week later. His family is infinitely grateful for that final sweet memory they made with him.
Tyler had a love of life, and an excellent work ethic, but his working life was hard. He worked mostly in warehouses, which meant long hours and tedious work. And he worked constantly to overcome his addiction. More than anything in the world, Tyler dreamed of being sober and leading a calm, happy life. Though his life was short, Tyler touched the lives of many people and was a safe place to land for many of his friends who also struggled with substance use disorder. His mother recalls one of his close friends telling her about the night that she was abandoned while she was overdosing, and how Tyler picked her up and took her home to care for her throughout the night.
Kim says that throughout all the struggles Tyler faced that changed him, his heart was always there. Tyler lived and died by the principles of kindness, always striving to help other people overcome their own hardships and addictions. He always saw the best in others and wanted them to be the best versions of themselves. His family, especially his younger brother Zach, who grew up watching his big brother fight for his life, dearly miss him.
Kim says that Tyler was her greatest teacher in this life. He made her more compassionate toward people, especially those living with the disease of addiction. She is more understanding of those who view addiction negatively and hopes they can be more accepting of others. Kim says she knows in her heart that when something makes her laugh, her connection to her son is still alive and well. She misses him every day, especially his hugs, smiles, laughter, kissing his forehead and giving him peace.
Tyler’s mother, Kim Pratt, provided information for this narrative.
May 31, 1990-December 2, 2016-Age 26
Portrait Artist: Jeremy Hebbel
Narrative Writer: Victoria Estes
