We’ve had a heartbreaking event in our family. Ryan and Kate and the baby were in a car accident on their way back to Utah from Oregon Thursday at about 5pm. The baby is fine, Kate was flown to a trauma center in Reno; she sustained head and internal injuries. Ryan sustained a serious head injury and died at the scene.
The accident was north of Winnemucca, Nevada. We don’t know why (sleep, distraction, etc.) but they drifted off the right side of the road, Ryan must have over-corrected as he tried to get the car back on the road, it rolled, and during the roll he sustained the fatal blow to his head. He never regained consciousness. Emergency responders did all they could but pronounced him dead at the scene about an hour and a half later. Luckily, two nurses happened upon the accident and were able to help.
Kate’s parents (Dan and Krista Doshier) are with her now in the hospital in Reno. Ron and Tracy Alder (Ryan’s parents) and Tom and Julie Dillenbeck (Ryan’s sister) are driving from Orem, Utah to pick up baby Cora in Winnemucca, on the way to Kate in Reno.
Kate is stable following surgery to stop bleeding in her brain. She has a serious skull fracture, broken bones in her neck (no spinal cord injury), cuts and bruises. The internal abdominal bleeding has stopped. She is heavily sedated now and over the next 24-48 hours that medication will be reduced to assess her condition.
I will post all updates on Kate’s condition as I get them. Thanks to everyone for your love and support. Please pray for Kate’s recovery and for everyone to travel safely.
–Karen Smith (Ryan’s sister)
Thank you so much for posting this update. I heard about this on facebook; I went to high school with Ryan and was Katie’s boss at BYU for a while. They are both great people!
I am so sorry to hear about this; you will all be in our prayers.
Kate and the entire family are definitely in our prayers.
Please let Todd and I know if there is anything we can do: watch kids, drive people out there or back, etc.
We are both so sorry and feel terrible. Please let us know how we can help in anyway.
My prayers are with you. I have put all names in the temple so that more angels may watch over them. I am heartbroken to hear this situation. If there is anything I can do (even though I live on the other side of the country) please let me know. God Bless.
I’m so sorry to hear this news. I know I don’t know you or the family, but this hits very close to home as my brother was in a very similar accident outside of Winnemucca, Nevada 10 years ago. His wife sustained injuries much like Kate, and my brother passed away at the scene. My heart goes out to all of you. I wish there was something I could do to help. At least for the time being, know that you are loved and thought of. Your family will be in my prayers.
I’m so sorry to hear about this and I hope Katie is doing better. I’m glad the baby is alright. Ryan was a great friend in High School and I’m glad Kate met and married him (she worked with me in the library also). My prayers are with you all.
I am so shocked! And so sorry to hear about this, Alder family. I pray all the best for you, and am truly thinking of you.
I’m so sorry to hear about this. I knew Ryan in high school, and he was always an inspiration for good. My prayers are with your family.
I am so sorry!! It’s just shocking to me. It was only a few weeks ago that I even found this blog.
You are all in my prayers. Best wishes to Kate and Cora and all of you.
This is such a shock! I am so sorry to hear that it happened, and the whole family will be in my prayers.
I am really sorry that this happened. I am shocked and sad. My prayers are with all of your family.
Thanks for doing this!
We are so sorry to hear about Ryan. He was a good friend to Henrik. Our hearts go out to the entire family.
I am deeply saddened to about this unfortunate accident. I went to high school with Ryan and knew what a good guy he was. He was well liked by everyone and always had a smile on his face. I will keep Kate in my prayers.
I am so sorry to hear about this. Thank you for the update. I knew Ryan in High School. He was such a great person and will be missed.
This breaks my heart. I’m so sorry to hear this news. My prayers and thoughts go to anyone who knew and loved Ryan, but especially his family, and Kate and Cora. Ryan IS a great guy, and we’ll miss him.
I have been praying for your family today. Ryan is my good friend from High School and a light to everyone around him. Thank you for letting us know about it so our prayers can be more specific. I love the Alder family and am heartbroken for you, but I also know you to be people of faith in the reality of eternal families. I am praying that your faith in the Savior will bring healing and peace to you throughout this trial.
My kids were friends with both Ryan and Kate; my youngest daughter is friends with Michael and Amy, and we are all so saddened at this news. Maria said so well what is in my heart.
Ryan is one of the best people I have ever known. I am lucky to have enjoyed his friendship since seventh grade. I even got to be his roommate during our freshman year at BYU, and later we were in the same ward at Moon Apartments, where he met Kate. He is an incredible guy and pretty much everyone’s favorite, with good reason.
I am still feeling numb from the shock. I have lost one of my best friends. My prayers are with Kate and Cora and with both the Alder and Doshier families. If there is anything I can do to help, please contact me.
Ron & Tracy – So sorry for your loss. Your entire family will be in our prayers. Please let us know if there is anything at all we can do to help. Love, Quinn and Lisa
I am so sorry for your loss. My mere words cannot suffice anything more than that. You are all in my prayers.
Our family is so saddened by this. Ryan was (and is) smart, funny, cute, polite, talented, cheerful, full of life, and faithful. You couldn’t talk to him and not feel happy. We pray that the Comforter will bring peace to both families and that all of his friends will help Cora know what a great dad she has.
I am so sorry that this has happened. I have been thinking about and praying for your families and pray that the Lord might comfort you all now. I am so sorry. thank heavens for your strong faith and knowledge of eternal families. May Heavenly Father bless and comfort you in this difficult time.
I so enjoyed the times I spent with Ryan. I’m grateful to have known him and grateful to know where he is and what he is doing. I pray that all his family will be comforted in this knowledge. Much love to you all.
I absolutely adored Ryan in high school. He was such an honorable person and was such a wonderful friend to me when I really needed it. My husband and I are praying constantly for Ryan’s family.
Wow… Kate, I can’t understand what you must be feeling and going through. I am so so sorry. I looked up to you a lot when we worked together and hope you could tell. I also hope at this time you can feel the love of those around you, seen and unseen. If I can do anything please let me know. Again I am so sorry, and you, your sweet baby, and Ryan will be in our prayers.
God bless the family. I am so sorry for your loss. Ryan was a friend in highschool and we will keep the whole family in our prayers.
It’s been a few years since I’ve spoken to Ryan, but I will always remember him as a delightful person with a ready smile. It was difficult to keep from being cheerful when Ryan was around. He will be missed by everyone who knows him.
I will be praying very hard for Kate’s recovery. My sincerest condolences to the Alder family. They are some of the finest people I have ever known.
I had the privilege of meeting Ryan my first year teaching band/orchestra at Timpanogos, which was his senior year. I was blessed to have come in contact with him.
I just heard of this from another classmate of his. My prayers are with his family in this time of mourning and pray for that blessed day of the resurrection for his beautiful family to be reunited.
My family will keep Kate and Cora in our prayers as well.
This is very close to my heart, because my family rolled our truck on the way to Oregon from Utah in February. I am overcome at this moment. The world lost a good man.
I’m so sorry for this tragedy. My prayers are with the families.
I knew Ryan briefly during my first year in high school and his smile, kindness and constant happiness have stayed with me since then. He was always so happy! I have sadly not kept in touch since then, but the news of his passing have effected me deeply. I cannot imagine the world losing such a sincere and genuinely happy person. Ryan and his family are in my prayers.
This is news that just makes you realize how precious life is. My thoughts and prayers are with Kate and all the families involved. I knew Ryan in high school and he was the nicest most geniune person ever, and to hear such tragedy, i can’t even begin to imagine what the families are going through. I hope you guys can feel peace and comfort during this time.
Ron and Tracy, Just want to let you know that you are in our family’s thoughts and prayers.