Saratoga Springs, Utah-- The family of a man killed in a crash on SR-201 Monday is sharing their message, after the man died when a ladder fell from a truck.
Lance Budge's family is also hopeful that he'll be able to save other lives.
Lance loved to drive. It's what he's always done for his job-- from delivering pizza for his aunt and uncle's business for years, to more recently delivering dental specimens and supplies from a lab to dental offices.
He's even turned down promotions to work in the office, because he wanted to stay on the road.
"He was happy," said Michael Budge, Lance's father. "Loved driving," echoed his sister Kaitlyn Llewellyn. "I'm sure he was singing along as he was driving," Michael said.
The 25-year old Saratoga Springs man was most likely singing along to one of his favorite bands, as he drove on 201 near Bangerter Highway Monday morning.
Utah Highway Patrol said a ladder flew off a pickup truck and into the middle of the highway. The truck stopped in the left lane, UHP said.
That's when Lance hit the pickup truck. Two other vehicles also crashed.
According to UHP, first responders tried to save Lance, but he passed away at the scene.
Michael explained that their family had been spending extra time together lately because of COVID-19. Lance's only brother, Nathan Budge, had just been sent home from his mission early.
"So in the last three weeks, it was just Nathan and Lance have fun playing games, being together as a family," Michael said.
It's time together they're now grateful they got to spend.
"He just was so cheerful, and so loving and giving," said Diane Tenney, Lance's grandmother.
Lance's family is hoping his giving spirit will lead to his life saving someone else's.
They said an extended relative who owns the company Lance works for, has been waiting for a heart transplant. Diane explained that Lance told the relative, if Lance contracted coronavirus and passed away, that he'd want his heart to go to that person.
"That was our first thought, that Lance was an organ donor, felt strongly about it" Diane said. "He wanted to have his organs given for someone else, to make their life better."
Michael said their message is of love, forgiveness and family.
They're also sharing about the importance of being responsible on the road.
"Make sure that if you are going anywhere with anything that could be loose at all on your vehicle, to make sure it's tied down enough-- so this doesn't happen to other people," Kaitlyn said.
"The safety rules for motor vehicles are there for a reason," Michael said, before adding, "We are just focusing on our son right now, with the great life that he had."
Family and friends are raising money to help support the family with Lance's funeral costs.
