LDL. Lubbock Family Prepares to Lay 12-Year-Old Vance Witherspoon to Rest After Tragic ATV Accident

A Texas family is spending today doing what no parent should ever have to do: saying final goodbyes to a child whose life ended far too soon.

According to information shared by those close to the family, 12-year-old Vance Witherspoon died in an ATV accident that happened the day after Christmas, during what was meant to be a simple camping and deer-hunting trip at a deer lease. What should have been a quiet, outdoors tradition became a devastating loss—one that has left loved ones in shock and a community rallying in grief.

Those who knew Vance describe him as the kind of kid who made life feel lighter: joyful, open, kind, and deeply loved. In the days since the accident, the words repeated most often by friends and community members haven’t been complicated. They’ve been simple and heartfelt—Vance was a bright presence, and his absence is being felt everywhere.

A Boy Who Loved Big and Lived Fully

People often say someone “lit up a room,” but for many families, it’s not a phrase they use lightly. It’s reserved for the child who laughed easily, who made connections quickly, who wasn’t afraid to show excitement or love.

That’s how many are remembering Vance.

Among the details being shared as loved ones honor his life, one stands out for the way it captures his spirit: Vance loved Texas Tech. Friends say he followed the team closely, watched as many games as he could, and celebrated wins with pure, unfiltered joy—the kind that reminds adults what it looks like to be fully present and fully happy.

It wasn’t just about football or a scoreboard. It was about how Vance experienced life: with enthusiasm, loyalty, and a big heart.

A Faith His Family Is Holding Onto

In the grief, Vance’s family is also leaning on something they believe still holds steady even when everything else feels broken: faith.

Those close to them say Vance was a publicly proclaimed Christian, and his family is clinging to the hope that this goodbye is not the end of the story—that they will see him again.

For families with faith, grief doesn’t disappear. But belief can become a lifeline when the pain is too big to carry alone. In moments like these, faith isn’t a shield from heartbreak—it’s often the only place left to put it.

A Community Surrounding the Family

As the Witherspoon family moves through these days, the community in Lubbock, Texas is surrounding them in support.

A visitation is being held today, giving friends, classmates, neighbors, and loved ones a chance to show up in the most important way: presence. In communities across Texas, showing up matters. It’s how people say, “You are not alone,” when words fail.

Vance will be laid to rest tomorrow at 1:00 p.m., a moment that will be both deeply painful and deeply meaningful—a final act of love, a final gathering of those who want to honor the boy Vance was and the place he will always hold in their hearts.

What to Say When There Are No Words

When a family loses a child, people often want to help but don’t know how. They worry about saying the wrong thing. They hesitate, hoping someone else will find the perfect words.

But families in grief rarely need perfection. They need sincerity.

They need to know their child mattered.

They need to hear his name.

They need love to keep showing up after the funeral, when the world gets quiet.

If you want to leave condolences for Vance’s family, here are words that are simple, respectful, and meaningful:

• “We are so sorry for your loss. Vance was clearly deeply loved.”
• “Praying for strength and peace for your family today and in the days ahead.”
• “Lubbock is mourning with you. We won’t forget Vance.”
• “May God comfort you and hold you close. This is not fair, and we are so sorry.”
• “Vance’s joy touched so many. Thank you for sharing him with this world.”

Remembering Vance Witherspoon

Today, visitation is more than a scheduled event. It’s a moment of collective grief and collective love—people trying to carry a family through the heaviest kind of loss.

Tomorrow, the service will mark a painful line in time: the day Vance is laid to rest.

But even in the heartbreak, the way people are describing him makes one thing clear—Vance’s story is not being measured only by how it ended, but by how he lived: with joy, kindness, and a heart that left a mark.

Please keep the Witherspoon family in your thoughts and prayers, and if you’re able, leave them a message of love and support. In moments like this, it matters more than people realize. 🤍