Less than a week after his tragic passing, Troy Holder brought the community together.
Not once, but twice.
The 2014 Oakdale High School graduate died of injuries sustained in a motorcycle accident on Monday evening, Aug. 20 and on Friday night, Aug. 24, friends, family members and former classmates gathered for a candlelight vigil at the Quintanal Amphitheatre at the Oakdale Community Park. Several people spoke, his favorite songs were played and the crowd lifted their candles into the night sky in his memory.
On Sunday, also at the Community Park along South Yosemite Avenue but in the skatepark portion, dozens gathered with bicycles, skateboards and scooters, attending a memorial ‘ride in’ to celebrate the 22-year-old’s life and commemorate his efforts in helping to bring the skatepark to fruition.
Older brother Travis was on hand and did some trick riding, using his brother Troy’s bike, and he said he was grateful for the turnout.
“It’s just a little BMX community, all these guys, all these bicyclists put it together,” he said, motioning to the many riding around the skatepark on a sunny Sunday afternoon.
Donations were taken as plans are in the works to place a memorial plaque in the skatepark in Troy’s honor.
He served as president of a youth committee that was enacted during the development of the new community park and was in on the design decisions for the skatepark.
“He and I went to every meeting,” Travis explained. “We worked with the designer from Santa Cruz.”
Also an OHS alum, two years older than Troy, Travis said that the Friday night vigil was more than they could have hoped for.
“There was a lot of people, it was just really nice,” he said. “We played a bunch of his favorite songs, we had his dirt bike here.”
Mom Tiffany Brown was surrounded by friends at the skatepark on Sunday, helping to see her through.
“I just want to thank everybody who showed all their love for my son,” she said of those gathered on Sunday to remember Troy and ride in his honor. “He is looking down, smiling …thank you for all your support.”
