Family honors teen on birthday weeks after deadly Renton crash

Family honors birthday for teen killed in crash

April 9 would've been the 14th birthday of victim Matilda "Tilly" Wilcoxson. She was one of four people killed in a Renton crash three weeks ago. An 18-year-old was going over 100 mph when he crashed into the van Tilly was riding in.

RENTON, Wash. - Though absent in the physical sense, Matilda "Tilly" Wilcoxson's presence was felt as her family and the local community gathered to honor her memory.

Tuesday would have been Tilly's 14th birthday, a bittersweet milestone now overshadowed by immense grief after the unimaginable tragedy that struck three weeks ago. Tilly, along with her 12-year-old sister Eloise Wilcoxson and her best friend Buster Brown, tragically lost their lives in a devastating accident. The van they were traveling in was hit, which also claimed the life of Andrea Hudson, a mother and wife.

In commemoration of Tilly's birthday, the community came together for sweet treats at a popular frozen yogurt shop, Menchies in Renton. Chace Wilcoxson, the father of Matilda and Eloise, shared heartfelt sentiments about his daughter.

"Tilly was an amazing girl," Wilcoxson said. "She had a big heart. She was full of life. I'm just so grateful for the time that we've had with her.

Amidst the sorrow, the Wilcoxson family found solace in honoring Tilly's memory by spending the day at Volunteer Park, a favorite spot of hers. Tilly, known affectionately as a self-proclaimed "plant lady," found joy in the simplicity of nature, surrounded by lush greenery.

"It's been a good day full of happy memories, definitely sadness as well," Wilcoxson said. "It's fun to be able to be there and enjoy the things that she loved to be with the people that she loves as well."

Tilly's father expressed gratitude for the outpouring of love and support from the community as he reflected on the day. "I wish Matilda could see the amount of love people have for her," he said, emphasizing the positive impact Tilly continues to have on their lives.

The family was surrounded by Buster Brown's family and Andrea's husband and son on the special day.

Looking ahead, Wilcoxson spoke of his hopes for change stemming from this tragedy.

"I want my daughters Matilda and Eloise's lives and their deaths to be free from hate and anger. I want their life to mean something, I want people to be more like them, be willing to show other people love and to try to make things more beautiful in the world," he said.

Despite the immense grief, Wilcoxson remains steadfast in his faith and resilience, guided by the belief that even in the face of tragedy, there can be seeds of hope and growth.

"We can talk about changes to the roads; we can talk about changes to the law and those things are important, we should do that, but the biggest important change that can happen is if we try to change things within ourselves and our one on one interactions with each other," Wilcoxson said.

He recalled a moment when he apologized to his teen daughter a few weeks before the tragic accident when she said the ‘best part of her was that she didn’t hold grudges'.

"We are trying to be more like Matilda in a lot of ways," Wilcoxson said.

The father previously spoke out about Jones being out on bail and at home on electronic monitoring after Judge Johanna Bender decreased his bail. He's now calling for the pendulum to swing the other way when it comes to accountability.

"I just hope that we can make the changes to have this for other people in the future," Wilcoxson said. "Part of it is holding people accountable – not for vindictive desires or anything like that, but holding people accountable, so that we know that in our society we respect each other, we respect the law because it helps all of us to be healthy and safe."

Wilcoxson said Jones has hurt his family and those of his best friends, the Brown's and Hudson's.

April 8 would've been Andrea and Abe's anniversary. Wilcoxson is asking for prayers for his friend whose two children remain hospitalized with a long road ahead.

As the families and community continue to grapple with the aftermath of this heartbreaking loss, Wilcoxson is remembering his oldest little girl, Tilly.

"I love you Matilda; I'm grateful that I'm confident that you knew I loved you," Wilcoxson said. "I love you, and I'm so happy for that," he expressed with deep emotion. "I can't wait to be with you again."