KALAMAZOO, Mich. — Russell Blackwell of Pullman is mourning the loss of his 14-year-old son Tristan Billman, who was hit and killed by a vehicle while walking with his girlfriend in the early hours on Dec. 29.
His father says Tristan pushed his girlfriend, Destiny, to safety prior to the crash. He says his son would often put others before himself and is proud to know how selfless his son was.
“What a lot of people should know about him is that he did many things just to see other people happy and put himself second a lot,” said Russell.
His grandmother, Dixie Blackwell, says Tristan made friends with everyone, even during a trip to Walt Disney World, which was one of her greatest memories of Tristan. She says his friendly demeanor earned the love and trust of many.
“He made friends with people in the line and as he was standing in line, he rode with them on the rides. That's how quickly he would want to be friends, 'I don't have anybody to ride with, would you want to go on a ride together?' kind of thing,” his grandmother said.
Russell is now holding on to some of Tristan’s favorite items, including Crocs, something his father says he once despised but will now cherish forever. He keeps other special items including a Sonic figurine, one of Tristan’s favorite characters, and a controller for his favorite game on his Xbox. They've become some of Russell's most cherished items.
Tristan was laid to rest Friday, Jan. 5. His father says some of the things Tristan’s friends said about him at his son’s funeral makes him proud to know how special he was to so many people.
“I like the resonating sound that he was heroic, and he did something that a lot of people would not do. And I’d like people to think about that. You know that selfishness can make this world very ugly, and he made sure that wasn't his world. He was very unselfish and heroic,” said Russell.
Tristan’s grandmother says the legacy he will leave behind is the power of friendship and how he always made his friends feel special.
“That's the legacy that he left behind is that we all need to reach out to one another, regardless of our circumstances and just be friends,” Dixie said.
Tristan’s father says he was mature for his age, and he’ll remember how his son would do anything for anyone. He says he’ll miss hearing his son’s excitement when he would play on his Xbox.
“What I miss most is walking down this hallway and seeing him sit on that game and just make the most obnoxious noises and headshot call outs and telling his friends how he got them or this or that. That's what I missed the most,” Russell said.
Russell says he is grateful to countless people who helped to support him and his family, including some who had never met Tristan. He says he’s proud of the man his son was becoming at such a young age.
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