Treynor teen's story spurs chance at grant money for change

Nearly a year after Tristan white was killed running on a rural Pottawattamie County gravel road, his family hopes his memory will live on in the form of making his hometown, Treynor, Iowa, safer.

"This fall has been hard because it has been the first of everything, the first day of school that we started without him,” Lisa White, Tristan’s mother said.

Nestled off a county road in Treynor, the White Family continues with the daily commute of life. Nearly one year ago, Lisa White's son, Tristan was running during wrestling practice on these roads, when he was hit and killed by a car. "I need to channel my, sometimes my sadness, sometimes my anger into something good,” Lisa said.

Lisa and the rest of the White Family didn't want the story to end there and instead, connected with the Keep Kids Alive Drive 25 effort.

"I'm definitely touched by what's happened by the grief,” Tom Everson said. Everson is the Executive Director with Keep Kids Alive Drive 25. "What moves me even more is the hope that people have."

With help from KKAD 25, Lisa is hoping to turn Tristan's story into a positive, entering a State Farm grant contest, Neighborhood Assist. The top 40 vote getters will win a $25,000 grant. After two days of voting, "A License to Live" sits in the top 10.

The idea is with the grant money Treynor would implement a community-wide effort to help make the roads safer by reducing speeding and eliminate distracted driving through KKAD 25 resources and outreach.

Tristan’s story inspired freshman Tyler Pollock to help carry on White’s legacy, as well. "I just think that you know someone needs to do something for this and I can be that person,” Pollock said.

In the end, it’s about remembering a life taken too soon Lisa says, "I just want somewhere for these kids to run again,” through a lasting impact of making the very roads safer where Tristan lost his.

If you would like to vote for "A License to Live" visit