Dylan “Lefty #316” First was a young motocross racer with a bright future ahead of him. A religious guy, Dylan raced with the number 316 – a nod to one of his favorite verses from the bible, John 3:16, which read: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son. That whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.”
Unfortunately, tragedy struck the First family on December 30, 2011. While attending the Fellowship of Christian Athletes Motocross Retreat in Georgia – a faith-inspired motocross camp that is attended by many – Dylan First was involved in a deadly accident. According to reports by those who witnessed the crash, Dylan lost control of his bike and flew over the handlebars. The bike ultimately landed directly on top of the young rider. The accident, which happened in front of dozens of other camp attendees, turned out to be a fatal one.
Dylan First was more than a motocross rider and enthusiast. He was a 4.0 student at his high school, and he was friends with nearly all of the other students. He was interested in engineering and robotics, which he pursued via his high school classes, and he was even a musician. First was also an active member of Forestpark Community Church, located in his family’s home state of Kentucky. The church hosted First’s visitation and funeral, which was overseen by Pastor Ronnie Caswell. Dylan First’s funeral was on Friday, January 6, 2012.
Pastor Caswell stated, “He wanted his number to be 316 which is in reference to John 3:16,” he continued by saying, “He was a real servant, he just found joy and fulfillment in helping others.” Caswell also attended the FCA Motocross Camp, and he was amongst the attendees who witnessed the crash.
Principal of Jeffersontown High, where Dylan First attended as a senior, commented on the tragedy. He said, “Seeing the classrooms where he use to sit and the desks he use to sit in, where he parked his car in the student parking lot, things like that really are a shock to students when they first see it. He wasn’t a kid that was just defined by one thing, he was in to engineering, he was on our robotics team, he was a musician and he also loved the motocross,” said Pollio. I think he is what father would want their son to be like and so he will be missed.”
In an effort to help relieve some of the financial strains placed on the family after Dylan’s premature death, a charity auction was recently held on his behalf. Items included personal gear from Ryan Sipes, a jersey from WMX star Sarah Whitmore, and a brand new set of Kinetic Gear – including jersey, helmet, pants, goggles, and gloves – donated from Steven Squire, Chris Douglas, and Fly Racing. Squire and Douglas were close, personal friends with Dylan First, and they have been involved with the FCA for many years.
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