As the last rays of daylight slipped over the horizon, two softball games continued under the lights at Deseret Peak Complex Thursday night.
The sounds of the game provided the backdrop for friends, family and teammates who gathered to celebrate the life of Sydney Naylor. Attendees held whatever candle they could find to bring with them — long candles, tea lights and electric candles — and most wore purple or gold.
Her closest friends and family wore white or black T-shirts with “Naylor” and her softball number, 1, in gold on the back. The front was emblazoned with #LiveLikeSyd, which accompanied the social media posts remembering Naylor’s life.
Naylor, 16, had just completed her sophomore year at Tooele High School when she and four friends were involved in a single-vehicle rollover accident the evening of May 31 on SR-73. She suffered injuries that were not survivable, according to the Utah Highway Patrol.
One of Naylor’s best friends, Mercy DeRyke, was the first to speak about the effect Naylor had on the lives of the more than 100 attendees at the vigil.
“I know that she impacted every single one of our lives and that she would be so happy right now, to see everyone here,” DeRyke said. “She was such an amazing person and she brought happiness everywhere she went.”
While the vigil had moments of reflection and more than a few tears, there were as many times where the attendees laughed at the funny memories of Naylor shared by her friends. Sydney Turnbow, another one of Naylor’s best friends, quipped that Naylor would have loved the vigil because she enjoyed being the center of attention.
“I don’t remember having a bad day with her,” Turnbow said.
The myriad stories shared about Naylor described how funny and compassionate she could be. Attendees told anecdotes that ranged from her distaste for cubed ham to cheering up a classmate by singing “You Are My Sunshine” to them.
Mikenzie Summers described Naylor, her younger sister, as sassy and hardworking, both in overcoming her struggles with math to get good grades and improving her skills at softball after picking up the sport a few years ago.
“I don’t want you guys to think that she was absolutely perfect, because she wasn’t,” Summers said. “She had struggles, but the difference was that if she wasn’t always naturally good at something … she tried really hard.”
Even those who didn’t know her well said Naylor made a strong impression on them. JoAnn Vega, whose daughter Sydney Vega played with Naylor, shared her memory of Naylor from softball games.
“She was way out on right field and all I saw when she was coming forward was her great smile,” Vega said. “I didn’t know Sydney well, but just seeing her smile was awesome. It lit up my life.”
Marc and Kristine Naylor, Sydney’s parents, expressed their gratitude for those who came out to support the family and remember their daughter.
“Thank you for coming,” Kristine Naylor said. “We appreciate it so much, to know how many of you loved Syd.”
There was also an additional vigil on June 1 and the “T” overlooking the city was lit in honor of Sydney Naylor on Sunday. Funeral services for Naylor were held Monday at the Tooele South Stake Center. A GoFundMe page for Naylor’s family has raised $7,475 in five days.
