Community mourns Vineyard man who died during youth camping trip
By Garna Mejia and Sam Skvor
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SPRINGVILLE (KSL) — A candlelight vigil was held Saturday evening in Utah County for the youth leader who died during a church camping trip earlier this week.
Family, friends and strangers gathered at the Springville High School baseball field to remember Alex Johnson, 38, who was found dead Thursday morning inside his trailer at Wasatch Mountain State Park.
Josh Probst, with the Wasatch County Sheriff’s Office, said inside the enclosed trailer, deputies found charcoal in a Dutch oven. Investigators theorized that Johnson had used it as a heat source, which caused carbon monoxide to fill the trailer, killing him. The state medical examiner will determine the official cause of death.
Those in the large crowd that gathered at the vigil Saturday were able to view photos of Johnson and learn about the things that were important to him. As they held lit candles and comforted one another, friends and family shared memories of the Springville native.
The tragedy of Johnson’s death has left a deep void in the community, according to family friend Mardi Sifuentes. She organized a similar memorial on Friday in Vineyard, where the Johnson family currently lives.
“Anything anyone ever needed, he was there,” Sifuentes said. “He just kind of put his footprint in every family. Everyone around here, we just all loved him. It’s a huge loss.”
As the community grieves, they also remember a man who gave so much of himself to others. According to Sifuentes, Johnson was active in his community through church service. He was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, a beloved Little League coach, gymnastics dad and owner of a local landscaping business.
He was one of our dearest friends,” Sifuentes added. “It’s been a lot of tears, where you think that you don’t have any more, but then they just still keep coming. I think there is always the question of: Why does it happen to good people?”
Ashley Gollaher, another family friend, echoed the heartbreak felt by many. “A lot of tears for his wife and kids,” she said.
Johnson leaves behind his widow and four children.
Friends and neighbors are rallying around the family, offering support and raising funds through a GoFundMe campaign.* As of Sunday, the campaign had raised more than $70,000.
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