In memory of Tyler Fortson Moon

Sept 5, 1996 - April 8, 2011

“He was a great friend and I couldn’t have asked for a better person to call my best friend” echoed the words of Tyler Moon’s classmate and close friend Haley Gordon. 

 “Tyler was just the kind of person who always brought a smile out of everyone.”

“He used to tell me that one of his favorite things to do outside of school was to go the lake and spend time with his dad on the boat” said Gordon.

 “He was very loved by everyone that was around him and he has touched so many of our lives! We all miss and love him very much,”

Quotes from my column "All American Kid" last year issue of the Madison County Journal

Remembering Buddy and Tyler-one year later

Column published in an April issue of The Madison County Journal. To subscribe to the Journal visit www.mainstreetnews.com

By Dallas Bordon

It’s been one year now since the tragedies of two well-known citizens of Madison County.

Buddy Christian

Two men, even though separated by 20 years in age, touched lives in identical ways. Officer Buddy Christian (34) killed in the line of duty on March 22, 2011, while responding to a call on Sycamore Drive in Athens and Tyler Moon, killed on April 8, 2011 at the age of (14) in a lawnmower accident on Spratlin Mill Road. Both of whom were well known to those in and around Madison County. Both of whom impacted lives not only in our community but in the surrounding counties and both of whom attended Hull Baptist Church on Hwy. 72.

Tyler, “Fort” as he was known by one of his closest friends Haley Gordon, was very active in the organization Extra Special People based in Watkinsville. A straight “A” student, Tyler poured his heart into everything he was involved with from church activities to playing football and baseball at the middle school and also his involvement in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. His smile was contagious and he loved life and valued his relationships with his friends like Gordon. He enjoyed spending time with his family and loved to go on trips to the lake. “Fort” was a great example of an “All American kid” and an easy-going kid who lived life to the fullest.

Senior Officer Buddy “Elmer” Christian joined the Athens/Clarke County Police in 2002 and was fulfilling his lifelong dream. Christian knew the danger involved in being a police officer but wanted to do his duty of protecting and serving the public. Christian was known to even talk with those he arrested about making better choices in life — not the usual procedure of a police officer. He was described as a man who loved his church, his family, and his job in law enforcement. “To Protect and Serve” was more than just slogan for Christian, it was his way of life regardless if he was in his police uniform or not. He had a passion for serving others from church involvement to volunteering with the Hull Fire Department where he also served as Chaplin.

His dedication to his duties at Hull Baptist church included operating the church’s sound system, working with the children’s ministries and serving as a Deacon among others. Christian, as well as Moon, were both active in many different activities outside of the job or school, and poured their hearts into whatever it was they were involved in. Both Tyler and Buddy would give you the shirt off their backs as described by those that knew them.

Buddy, a 1994 graduate of Madison County High School, was a devoted family man to Melissa, his wife of 15 years and his two children Wyatt and Callie. Prior to his death, Buddy and Melissa put together plans to begin building their dream home. Even after his death those plans turned into reality as volunteer builders pitched in and the community came together donating money and materials and the Christian dream home stands today.

Tyler and Buddy influenced many people by the life they lived. We remember, one year after their death, the impact they had in many ways. A wall ball court has been built at the recreation department in Danielsville in honor of Tyler Moon. Over 100 plus turned out for the opening ceremony of the wall ball court. Students, family, friends and some kids that have been involved with Tyler in sports were in attendance. The family tossed the first pitch towards the wall full of handprints of those involved on constructing the court. The same wall that has a photo of Tyler wearing his familiar number 9 middle school football jersey that reminds us all of this kid who touched many lives in just 14 years.

Officer Buddy Christian’s funeral was attended by law enforcement officers from all over Georgia and some as far away as Virginia. Thousands lined the streets from the Classic Center down West Broad Street and the Atlanta Highway in honor of Christian as his horse-drawn carriage transported his body to his final resting place at Evergreen Memorial Park with a line of police and emergency vehicles leading the way.

One year later we pause to remember Buddy and Tyler, 20 years apart in age, both who gave so much and made us all smile, and both gone too soon.

Dallas Bordon is a regular contributor to The Madison County Journal.

Wall Ball Dedication

The wall is built and as of 12 noon today kids were already putting it to use. Over 100 plus turned out at the Madison County Recreation Department today to dedicate the Wall Ball court in memory of Tyler Fortson Moon. Fellow students, parents, family, friends and even some locals who have at some point been involved in sports with Tyler attended.
The ribbon cutting took place with Tyler's parents cutting the ribbon on each entrance on the gates of the court. The family, grand parents as well, tossed the first pitch towards the wall. Hand prints of those involved in the construction of the wall were printed from top to bottom of the wall. The ceremony opened with Rodney Rogers, who led the construction and fund raising efforts, receiving a plaque of recognition from Madison County Commissioner Anthony Dove.

The first pitch-Tyler's family

Tyler's father Mike Moon

Tyler's mother Lee Moon Burroughs

Wall Ball Dedication Set For Saturday

The Wall Ball court in memory of Tyler Fortson Moon will be dedicated this Saturday at 11:30 at the Recreation Department in Danielsville. Tyler Fortson Moon was killed in a lawn mower accident this past spring. The wall ball court built in his memory sits along side of the tennis courts just beyond the outfield fence of field two at the recreation department on HWY 98.
Below is a column I wrote in the Madison County Journal (published back in June's issue) remembering Tyler and what he meant to his friends here in Madison County.

 

OPINION: Moon, an ‘All American Kid’ on and off the field

Friday, June 10. 2011

By Dallas Bordon

“He was a great friend and I couldn’t have asked for a better person to call my best friend” echoed the words of Tyler Moon’s classmate and close friend Haley Gordon. The words from Gordon and many other friends filled up the status lines of Tyler’s Facebook page remembering this all American kid. I didn’t have the privilege of knowing Tyler but as I read others’ comments and heard his stories, I felt like I’d known him for years.

A special boy who poured his heart in everything he did on the football and baseball field to his involvement in his church. Tyler also spent numerous hours working with ESP (Extra Special People) something he loved doing. Tyler was also a member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes as well as the FCCLA. He was a straight “A” student and was also a member of the Madison County Middle School’s baseball and football teams. Those activities and much more were examples of how much this young man love what he did and poured his heart into whatever he did.

Towards the end of the school year, Madison County Middle School retired his baseball jersey number 17 and also his football jersey of number 9. They will never to be worn again by an athlete of these sports at the middle school. This act of gratitude from the school will forever be part of those students and teammates’ memories as the years go by. A “Wall Ball” court is being built and will be dedicated to the memory of Tyler at the Madison County Recreation Department. The list goes on and on and the memories will last forever of this young man who touched so many lives. Students had T-shirts made with the numbers 9 and 17 that also read “In memory of Tyler Fortson Moon.” The lives he touched go well beyond the school, the playing fields, and classmates.

Tyler was very active in his church at Hull Baptist according to his close friend Gordon. Along with his love of playing sports growing up at the recreation department and middle school was his love for time on the lake. “He used to tell me that one of his favorite things to do outside of school was to go the lake and spend time with his dad on the boat” said Gordon. “Tyler was just the kind of person who always brought a smile out of everyone.”

Those people whose lives were touched by this young man overflowed the visitation area of the funeral home. I can remember standing in line with my daughter for two-and-a-half hours. I was touched seeing the support by the number of friends from all ages that were there. He touched many lives with his friendly personality and his passion for his friends. So many that knew him still send him messages via Facebook; “I miss you Tyler,” “You were my bestfriend/brother since kindergarten” and many, many more. These are just a couple of the posts from friends showing their love and thoughts on his page which hosts over one thousand friends.

Another of Tyler’s closet friends, Marycandler Minish said of Tyler, “He loved life and lived everyday to the fullest. Tyler always tried his best in everything he did and made the most of it.”

Shortly after Tyler’s passing, I watched several video posts of Tyler on the football field with the Mustangs. From the short videos posted, I could plainly see the great athletic ability of this young man. A parent/coach of a child that played with Tyler in youth sports described him as a “hard hitting player maker” on the football field. His love and dedication for the game showed in his hard work on the field.

Word of his untimely death even reached other counties and the lives of those who played against him. One Habersham County parent, who had a son that played against Tyler on the baseball field, contacted me shortly after hearing of his accident. She mentioned that even though she didn’t know Tyler personally, both her and her son remembered the example he set on the field. They also expressed their sympathy to family and students of Tyler.

The posts, quotes, thoughts, and a special place in the middle school’s hallway that display his jerseys all speak volumes of what Tyler meant to so many people. Those of us who didn’t know him or those that were so close to him can all be proud of what this young man stood for and accomplished. His memory will forever live in the hearts of those kids that had the honor of calling him friend, brother, son, and even hero. His memory will live on the ball fields from the recreation department to the middle school and even the high school, his next level of play. I am confident that he would have continued to touch many more lives throughout high school years and into the future. Either on the diamond or on the football field — his example of that “All American Kid” would and will still continue in the hearts of all that knew him. “He was very loved by everyone that was around him and he has touched so many of our lives! We all miss and love him very much,” said Minish.

“Fort” was the nickname for those who knew him best. As for me, I call him a blessing from above and now an angel watching from above. Haley Gordon summed it all up in one final quote, “I love and miss you Tyler Fortson Moon!”

Published in The Madison County Journal

http://www.mainstreetnews.com/

Tyler Fortson Moon

Today many of Tyler Fortson Moon's closest friends met at his grave site to release 15 red balloons. It was all in honor of what would have been his 15th birthday today Sept 5.
Tyler was very popular to our community in Madison County. His number 9 jersey in football and his number 17 in baseball was retired by the Madison County Middle School recently.