Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
ELK RIDGE, Utah County — An Elk Ridge family is mourning the loss of their 19-year-old son after he was killed during a bull riding accident over the weekend.
They spoke to KSL-TV, and they're sharing more about him and said he inspired them to live life to the fullest.
It was Saturday night when Roy and Megan Anderson got the call that their son, Tait Anderson, was heading to Utah Valley Hospital via medical helicopter. They say he lived to ride bulls, and if he could say something now he would tell others to "live your dream."
"He kept us on our toes, there was never a dull moment with Tait," said Roy Anderson.
The Andersons said their son's love for riding bulls started when he was 3 years old.
"He would ride the back of the couch. Anything that he could think of he was bull riding," he said.
Tait Anderson was planning his next rodeo Saturday night when his passion turned deadly. Roy Anderson got the call around 6 p.m. from one of Tait Anderson's colleagues.
A dire situation
"They told us the bull stepped on his sternum and to get there as soon as possible," he said.
The Andersons knew the situation was dire. Their son was flown to Utah Valley Hospital.
"I think we were only there 40 minutes before we got the news he didn't make it," he said.
Now, as Megan Anderson talks about him, she clutches his cross.
"He lived for bull riding. He lived, breathed, loved, it was his language; was bull riding," she said.
For the Andersons, they will miss his zest for life, his passion for rodeo and his enthusiasm that was contagious to everyone around.
"He just loved to play, and he loved to make people happy," he said.
"That kid could have been a kid for life," she said.
There is a GoFundMe* set up to help the family with expenses.
*KSL.com does not assure that the money deposited to the account will be applied for the benefit of the persons named as beneficiaries. If you are considering a deposit to the account, you should consult your own advisers and otherwise proceed at your own risk.
