A morning walk ended in unimaginable loss for a Utah family when 34-year-old Rebeca Hafen was struck by a vehicle near her home outside Moroni. Rebeca, who was seven months pregnant, died from her injuries on September 8, 2026, KSL reported.
Doctors performed an emergency delivery in an effort to save Rebeca and Tyson Hafen’s baby boy, Dalak Aristan Hafen. Dalak remained in the neonatal intensive care unit long enough for his father and eight siblings to meet him before he died the following day, according to the family’s GoFundMe page.
A Family Changed in an Instant
Rebeca was walking along the shoulder of Dairy Lane at approximately 7:55 a.m. when the vehicle struck her, KUTV reported. Utah Highway Patrol investigators identified sun glare and limited visibility as the primary contributing factors in the accident.
Authorities did not expect to file charges against the driver unless the investigation determined that speed also contributed to the crash. Tyson later told KSL that he held no anger toward the person whose vehicle struck his wife.
“My heart goes out to them,” Tyson said. “I hold no hard feelings. I don’t believe it’s in our hands—life or death.”
Tyson was approximately 14 hours away when authorities called to tell him about the accident, ABC4 reported. He immediately began the long drive home but received another call about an hour later informing him that Rebeca had died.
“It’s all such a blur,” Tyson told ABC4. “I feel so devastated. I still can’t hardly believe it happened.”
“She Lit Up My World”
Rebeca’s obituary states that she was born on May 15, 1992, in La Mora, Sonora, Mexico, to Abel and Valorie LeBaron. She married Tyson on February 10, 2012, in Colonia LeBarón, Chihuahua, Mexico, beginning a marriage that lasted more than 14 years.
Tyson told KSL that he knew “right off the bat” when he met Rebeca in Mexico that she was the woman he wanted to marry. Both came from large families and hoped to have a home full of children.
“We dreamed of having as many kids as we could,” Tyson told KSL. Rebeca’s ultimate wish was to have 12 children, Tyson later shared with ABC4.
Rebeca and Tyson had six daughters and two sons before learning they were expecting another boy. Tyson told KSL that Rebeca was “super excited” about the pregnancy and could not wait to welcome their son.
ABC4 reported that Rebeca cared for the family as a stay-at-home mother and poured herself into meeting everyone’s needs. “She was an amazing wife,” Tyson said. “I couldn’t have asked for a better.”
Rebeca Hafen. | Anderson Funeral HomeLearning, Creating, and Growing Together
Rebeca’s obituary describes a home filled with learning, creativity, and purposeful work. She was a talented cook and baker who found special joy in serving healthy, home-cooked meals made with homegrown ingredients.
Her interests included photography, traveling, sewing, gardening, homesteading, pottery, embroidery, and crocheting. She also learned to make soap and candles, often inviting her children to create and learn beside her.
Rebeca homeschooled all eight children and worked to give each one the individual attention needed, ABC4 reported. Although homeschooling did not initially come easily to her, Tyson saw her grow into the responsibility through persistence and love.
“If homeschooling accomplished nothing more than having more time with her kids, it was worth it,” Tyson told KSL. The family’s education extended beyond traditional schoolwork as Rebeca taught her children to serve, care for one another, and find joy in ordinary life.
Tyson hopes to continue the work she began, even though homeschooling has never been one of his strengths. “I would love to try and pick up where she left off, carry the torch,” he told ABC4.
He does not yet know exactly what that effort will require as he raises eight children without his wife. For now, Tyson plans to give them everything he has and hopes to “do a job she would be proud of.”
Faith at the Heart of Her Home
Teaching her children about the gospel of Jesus Christ and their Heavenly Father brought Rebeca her greatest joy, according to her obituary. She shared her faith with a gentle and loving heart, creating a spiritual foundation that Tyson believes will help their children through their grief.
Rebeca understood the pain of losing a parent because her own father died when she was young. Tyson told KSL that she prepared their children for this moment through the way she loved, cared for, and taught them.
“I want them to remember how much she loved them and how she cared for their well-being and everything she tried to teach them,” Tyson said. Her influence became especially visible as the children gathered around their newborn brother.
KUTV reported that the siblings took turns holding Dalak and helped bathe, change, and dress him. Tyson described the experience as both painful and beautiful because the compassion Rebeca had taught them “just shined through.”
A Final Goodbye to Dalak
A GoFundMe update posted by organizer Kameron Hafen described a touching scene as all eight children held Dalak, surrounded him with love, and prepared for a heartbreaking separation.
“He was on life support long enough for us to be there and say our goodbyes and go back to his mother,” Tyson told KSL. The family found comfort in believing their baby boy was reunited with Rebeca.
Kameron’s GoFundMe update also thanked the medical team for doing everything possible to care for Dalak and give him a chance to live.
She “Didn’t Waste a Moment”
Even amid his shock, Tyson wanted others to understand how completely Rebeca embraced her life. “She loved every minute,” he told KSL.
“She didn’t waste a moment of life,” Tyson continued. “She truly was living every moment like it was her last. She found joy in every little thing.”
Rebeca often took early-morning walks before her children awoke, allowing her to find time for herself without taking time away from them, KSL reported. Tyson marveled at the energy she brought to motherhood and the happiness she found while caring for such a large family.
The couple considered their children the greatest joy in their lives, Tyson told KUTV. Even when he struggled to keep up with the work involved, Rebeca met her responsibilities with remarkable energy and devotion.
“The kids are absolutely the joy of our lives,” Tyson told KSL. He said Rebeca put her “heart and soul” into everything she did for them.
Choosing Compassion After Tragedy
In spite of the enormity of his own grief, Tyson’s concern also extended to the driver. He told KSL that he hoped the person understood that he held nothing against them.
“I believe God’s timing is everything, I hope that they can find peace, whatever that is,” Tyson said. His response reflects the faith and compassion Rebeca worked to establish within their home.
Tyson also expressed gratitude to the first responders and medical professionals who cared for Rebeca and Dalak. He thanked the relatives, friends, and strangers who have surrounded the family with love during days marked by grief and uncertainty.
Rebeca’s influence extended far beyond what Tyson realized before her death, he told KSL. “I have no clue how far her touch reached people, and it’s been amazing to see,” he said.
Helping Tyson Care for His Children
The Hafen family had recently completed and moved into their dream home before the accident, KUTV reported. Tyson must now care for eight children there while mourning Rebeca and Dalak, arranging their services, and determining how to continue the home and education Rebeca built around them.
Kameron Hafen created a GoFundMe to help Tyson meet medical expenses, recovery-related needs, and the ongoing costs of caring for the children. The fundraiser seeks to ease some of the family’s financial burdens so Tyson has space to focus on his children as they grieve.
By September 11, contributions to the fundraiser had exceeded $150,000, according to KSL. Kameron wrote that every gift, prayer, and act of kindness has meant a great deal to the Hafen family.
Those wishing to help the Hafen family can donate to or share the GoFundMe organized by Kameron Hafen. Continued prayers and compassionate acts of service will also help support Tyson and his children as they face life without Rebeca and Dalak.
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As disciples of Jesus Christ, we are called to bear one another’s burdens and lighten life’s load. Through The Giving Corner, we highlight families who could use a helping hand, giving you an opportunity to serve in love. LDS Daily shares these stories to promote charitable efforts within the Latter-day Saint community. We do not endorse or verify the authenticity of each fundraiser, and we encourage readers to use their best judgment when donating.
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Holly Wallace is a writer and storyteller drawn to meaningful questions and overlooked details. Her work explores Latter-day Saint life and culture through faithful inquiry, inviting readers to pause, consider, and engage more deeply with what matters most.
