Dylan Dewey Hopkins

April 25, 1983 - November 21, 2008
Dylan Dewey Hopkins
Service Date:
Saturday, November 29, 2008 11:00 AM
Service Location:
The Cathedral of the Madeleine
Dylan Dewey Hopkins  Our son Dylan was taken from us in a plane crash on November 21, 2008. Dylan Dewey Hopkins was born April 25, 1983.  Days later his mind was on the fire service.  By six he was writing essays about it, and by fifteen he was bribing West Valley Fire Service with ice cream to go on ride-alongs. Natural portents surrounded his birth.  Billy’s Mountain slid into Spanish Fork Canyon, flooding the town of Thistle; City Creek  flooded and Dylan may have learned river running at age one month when he traversed the flooded State Street on a foot bridge, watching kayakers sail by. Dylan was an only child, but his family spans hundreds from whom he learned.  He became a falconer under the tutelage of Steve Smith.  DeAnn Barnson gave him his strong start in emergency medicine. His mentors throughout the fire service in both West Valley and Salt Lake City are too many to name. His beloved Uncle Tom Yeager gave him much he should know and some that he should not. He was especially lucky to have  his godmother, Sue Fisher, to nurture his focus on the humanity of difficult mentally ill patients he served. He understood the serenity of throwing a fly line over a quiet stream with his stepfather, Gary Topping.  Everyone loved Dylan. He was a firefighter/paramedic with the Salt Lake City Fire Department and Tactical Search and Rescue with the FEMA Urban Search and Rescue Utah Task Force 1. At his young age, he had already served the rescue efforts after Hurricane Katrina, at great risk aided shooting victims at Trolley Square, fought some of the valleys biggest fires.  He lived for his career and for helping others who weren’t able to help themselves.  He had many hobbies like kayaking, falconry, rock climbing.  His love for life, family, friends, work, and animals was his inspiration. He is survived by his father, Blake Hopkins (Sue Fisher) and his mother Marianna Hopkins (Gary Topping). His extended family includes two “almost sisters” – Morgan Yeager Uyetake and Olivia Fletcher; their mothers, Stephanie Yeager and Millie Fletcher; and his special friend, Becky Montgomery; and many aunts and uncles, nieces and nephews.  

Friends may call upon the family on Friday, November 28th from 6:00 until 8:00 PM at Starks Funeral Parlor, 3651 South 900 East, Salt Lake City.  Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Saturday, November 29th at 11:00 AM at the Cathedral of the Madeleine, 331 East South Temple.  Arrangements entrusted to Starks Funeral Parlor.