Funeral held for Holmes County High School student

HOLMES COUNTY, Fla. (WJHG/WECP) - The Holmes County community is mourning the loss of one of their own Saturday morning.

Family, friends, and community members gathered for a funeral service for Tyler Erickson at Holmes County High School.

“Tyler was a great kid,” Clint Erickson, Tyler’s father, said. “He was one of those children that a parent would love to have.”

Tyler died suddenly this past Monday while playing golf.

“He backed up that golf cart real slowly,” Erickson said. “He backed up his cart and said, “Dad, I love you.” I said, I love you too, son. He turned around and took off. He was dead 32 minutes later according to the 360 app.”

He was on the verge of turning 18 years old.

Those who knew him are still processing their new reality without him in it.

“Tyler was the type to always help someone in need,” Savannah Goodman, a member of the Holmes County High School Golf Team, said. “No matter who they were, who their friends were, what their group was, no matter what they did... he would always, always help someone in need, whether a friend or a stranger.”

They say he lit up every room.

“To be honest with you, I think he’ll be remembered for his smile,” Tyler’s father said. “Everybody loved that smile.”

The service consisted of a number of prayers, songs, and stories of the beloved young man.

“Some of the things he’d done, and some of the places he’d been, and the way he always had that positive attitude,” Clint Erickson said.

Tyler was actively involved in his community, too.

“He was involved in church,” Tyler’s father said. “He was involved in different types of civic groups. He was involved in playing golf.”

Tyler also worked at the local grocery store.

“He was funny,” friend Madyson Stephens said. “He was nice. Every time we’d walk in the Pig he’d greet us and asked us how our day was. He was just really nice.”

Tyler’s father says his legacy will be to follow the Golden Rule.

“I think the legacy he’ll leave behind is treat people the way you want to be treated,” his father said. “I think that’s the bigger thing he was trying to get across while he was on this Earth. He loved everybody, he really did.”

Loved ones say Tyler’s spirit will live on forever.

Tyler’s father said the cause of his son’s death is still to be determined.

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