Last weekend, friends and family members gathered to remember Blaze Himle, a 12-year-old boy who passed away in a snowmobile accident on January 8, after his snowmobile struck a tree.
Renay Himle, Blaze’s aunt, said that the boy loved trucks more than anything. He became fascinated with the big rigs at a young age thanks to his truck-driving grandpa.
“Always waiting for the truck to come home so he could help. Papa let’s go clean the truck let’s go wash the truck no matter the weather lets go wash the truck lets go fix the truck. Anything to do with the truck he was right there,” said Renay.
Last summer, he got to travel with his grandfather in the cab, from his home in Minnesota to California, and his family says that his smile was never bigger than when he climbed into the truck for that trip.
In a show of support to the family as they said goodbye to Blaze, 82 trucks lined up outside the church to honor this young soul. These trucks would later lead the procession, including the one which carried Blaze to his final resting place.
“The little bit of what I can do to show my gratitude or show appreciation to the family. It means a lot to them and it’s something easy that every one of us could do,” said Ethan Meyer, a truck driver out of Altura, MN.
Meyer went on to say that truckers are always there for one another. That’s why he felt it important to come out last weekend in a show of support for Blaze’s family.
“It’s one of them where everyone’s a little different, everybody from somewhere else, maybe speaks a different language but at the end of the day. It’s kind of like a family you didn’t know you have,” said Ethan.
While the family grieves the loss of Blaze, they were humbled with the show of support from the trucker community.
“The trucking community has been an amazing family for us. I’m so happy that they’re coming for him, to take him home,” said Renay.
Source: KAAL-TV
