I asked for a few stories about Talan (Tanner) this week because he has made such an impact on people’s lives at his young age of only 17 years old.
I saw this with the long lines of people standing beside the road when his body was brought back into Nahunta from the Jacksonville hospital the other day.
My daughter, Kristen, was always cutting his hair.
One time Talan texted her at almost midnight wanting her to meet him at the shop and “fix” his hair. They had messed it up and he was not going to school with it that way the next morning.
She had to go up there and take care of it. She said once when he was sitting in her chair, he thought about it being coach Mike Hendrix’s birthday and called to tell him Happy Birthday and that he loved him.
He was a 16-year-old at the time and what kind of kid does that?
Kyler Hayes said Talan told him if anything ever happened to him to take care of his grandma. Take her out to eat and spend time with her. She loves you like she loves me.
Haley Tuten said her favorite memory of Talan was him always coming up to her in school asking for a ride to either landers or to even the back of the parking lot because he never wanted to walk. And, no matter what kind of day she was having he would always smile and tell me to have a great day!
Chloe Staggs recalled a family trip on her son’s (Axton) third birthday to Orlando.
They came across the Orlando Slingshot with Talan wanting to “Heck no!” except her husband, Jordan, who is Talan’s uncle. Jordan said “come on let’s go!”
They bought the tickets and waited in line. Talan was ALL excited and hyped up to ride right up until it was their turn to go.
He then told his Uncle Jordan, “OK, maybe we shouldn’t do this.” Jordan’s response was “You only live once, nephew!”
Chloe said the pair loaded up and then were slung skyward with Talan SCREAMINGGGG at the top of his lungs and his uncle cracking up.
“That boy was dead set on riding it, up until it was time,” she said. “That’s one of my favorite funny memories of them together.”
He was great at sports, never met a stranger and was loved by so, so many, just for being himself.
• Wayne Morgan is freelance wildlife photographer and author.
