Mason Boyd, a sophomore wrestler at Watkins Memorial High School in Pataskala, was tragically killed in a car accident on January 6, 2018, on the way to support his wrestling team.
Having been diagnosed with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis earlier in the year, Mason was not scheduled to wrestle that morning due to elbow pain, a complication of his diagnosis.After awakening too late to ride the bus with his teammates, Mason loaded up his car with snacks for the wrestlers and headed out to cheer on his team.Driving along a narrow and winding country road, Mason lost control of his vehicle and struck a tree. It was at that moment the earth lost an amazing young man.
Mason is the son of Victor and Amie (Baker) Boyd, both graduates of Cambridge High School (Class of 1988). He also left behind a brother, Maxton, and a sister, Murphy. Maxton was an all-Ohio wrestler at Watkins Memorial High School, taking seventh place at the OHSAA Division I Wrestling Tournament in 2017, his senior year.
Mason, who had 29 wins on the mat as a freshman, had every intention of following in his big brother’s footsteps.In fact, he had a special pair of Rulon wrestling shoes in his locker, never worn, which he planned to wear when he made it to the state tournament.
“We always knew Mason was a special young man,” said his aunt, Alison Chiques, “but since his passing, numerous stories of his kindness, compassion, and inspiration have been shared with his family.
One such story was that of a young girl, who in fifth grade was crying over a dead caterpillar she found on the playground. She recalls Mason coming to her and comforting her, telling her not to be sad, that everything happens for a reason, and that caterpillar was in a better place and was now a happy little butterfly.
Many of his peers have told stories of Mason standing up for them when they were being mistreated. One young man, in particular, stated he was not happy with his own behavior and decided if he could be more like Mason, he could learn to treat others with compassion and kindness, and so, Mason became his role model.
Another young individual told Mason’s mother how he had saved her life. When she was struggling with depression and barely holding on, Mason was there to talk with her and helped her look to God for comfort and guidance. She credits Mason with saving her life.
These are just a few of the many stories that friends have shared about Mason and his caring and compassionate nature and desire to help others.
A teacher shared a letter Mason had written his freshman year of high school. It was a letter to his future senior self. He shared stories of his family, friends, teammates, and coaches, and expressed he could always count on these individuals in his life.
Although Mason- a straight-A student - often expressed his desire to be a neurosurgeon, he stated in this letter that he would like to be an orthopedic sports medicine doctor. He stated he understood what having a sports injury was like, and by pursuing this career, he would be able to help others through their injuries and get them quickly back to the sport they loved.
He questioned what his senior year might bring, wondered who would be in his life, and wondered how his wrestling season was going. He signed off his letter, "Until then, see you in three years."
Mason's family and wrestling coaches have set up a scholarship fund in his name, so they may honor him by following in his footsteps of helping others. The Mason Richard Boyd Wrestling Scholarship Fund will be an annual scholarship awarded to young athletes with the same dedication, integrity, compassion, kindness, and drive that Mason had, so these young individuals may make their dreams a reality. Donations can be made in person or mailed to the Pataskala Banking Company Main Office, 354 South Main Street, Pataskala, OH 43062, (740) 927-4956; or through a Go Fund Me account – Mason Richard Boyd Scholarship Fund (https://www.gofundme.com/mason-richard-boyd-scholarship-fund).