DENTON (1080 KRLD) – Dylan Dorrell was, as his dad puts it, “a special kid.”
The 17-year-old was gearing up for his senior year at Guyer High School when, on Aug. 13, he went into sudden cardiac arrest. Paramedics performed CPR on Dylan for the better part of an hour, but he did not survive.
Now, photos help paint a picture of Dylan’s life.
Scattered pieces of frozen time weave together the intricate story of Dylan Dorrell, of what he loved, who he loved, the person he was and was becoming.
Photos of his determined expression next to his smiling mom, Lisa, as they ran together in Dylan’s first ever 5K. He was six years old. Photos of Dylan and his dad, Gus, laughing in the kitchen on what could have been any lazy Sunday afternoon, whiling away the hours together as the sun trekked across the sky. Photos of Dylan outside in the backyard on a warm summer day, proudly displaying his Danny DeVito beach towel.
He was a huge fan of Danny DeVito, among other things.
Dylan’s parents say he was a creative soul, passionate, and unapologetic about the things that brought him joy.
Smart and talented, Dylan made his own functional light saber. At least, functional enough to light up green (Dylan’s favorite color) and make light saber noises— not functional to the point of slicing and dicing alien overlords. Not that he told his parents of, anyway. He was a big Star Wars junkie, and even made a home video demonstrating his Jedi abilities in the backyard.
“I always like to tell people he had a bit of an old soul,” said Gus Dorrell. “He liked older movies-- all Disney-- old cartoons. He collected vintage toys.”
A
nd there was something else Dylan loved, too: Helping others.
“That’s who my son was,” Gus said, fighting tears. “We hear all these stories about how Dylan was so kind and helpful. That old saying, “Do good when no
one’s looking” … that’s who he was.”
Dylan died of cardiac arrest after a particularly grueling cross-country practice. He was young, an avid runner, and his parents say he seemed perfectly healthy. What they didn’t realize is that he had developed scar tissue in his left ventricle.
“The doctor … she thought it could have been caused by a viral infection he had as a child,” Lisa said. “She said it was a one in a billion chance that it would cause death. But for Dylan, it did.”
“No scan could have caught what Dylan had,” Gus added.
Now, Gus and Lisa are using Dylan’s story to help others. It’s something they say their son would have wanted.
Since Dylan’s death, a GoFundMe account created for the Dorrells has raised nearly $50,000. Gus and Lisa say they’re planning on giving it all away.
They’re using some of the money to launch the Run For Dylan Foundation, which they say will help athletes access heart screenings.
The name comes from Dylan’s love for running. A proud member of the Guyer Cross Country Team, Dylan’s family says he felt most free when he was running.
“Running was Dylan’s outlet to reset and clear his mind,” Gus said. “He would always walk at night, too. Neighbors would tell us he was singing Disney songs as he walked through the neighborhood. That was Dylan.”
The heart screenings that the Foundation will help provide are something Lisa says could save lives.
“If we can save just one parent from the tears we’ve shed this last month, then whatever cost it took to get there … it’s worth it, Lisa said. “I wouldn’t wish this on anybody. It’s a struggle every day to get out of bed, to get up, to go to work, to work with children … knowing that my child is never going to come home from school again. If we could help just one person, then maybe … maybe I could see why this happened.”
“Testing wouldn’t have saved Dylan,” Gus said. “But it could save someone else.”
In addition to the foundation, Dylan’s parents are also starting a scholarship fund in his name. Every year, a student with interests similar to his—coding, animation, drawing and visual arts—will get money to help with their schooling.
For now, the plans to get the foundation up and running are just that. Plans. Gus and Lisa say they’re working to make things more official, but it’s hard through their heartache.
“When your son dies, you don’t have a clear plan of anything,” Gus said. “It’s like a broken piece of glass. And now you’re trying to put it all back together—your life included. What is it that we want to do to honor our son? We just know we want to help others.”
Gus and Lisa say they’re sharing their story, Dylan’s story, to do just that.
“[Dylan’s] kindness was deeper than we knew,” Gus said. “He just liked to help others.”
Dylan’s message of kindness is already spreading. His friends and classmates are honoring his memory on social media using #runfordylan. And #runfordylan signs are going up all across Denton. One mum maker is even selling a green homecoming ribbon—for mums and garters—that says #runfordylan. Part of those proceeds are going to the Run For Dylan Foundation or scholarship fund.
Gus and Lisa say the support means the world to them. It serves as a reminder that others are celebrating their son’s life, his generous spirit, and his message of helping others.
“We want his name out there,” Lisa said. “We don’t want anyone to forget him.”