Tayden Tomblin’s classmates will honor the life of their 17-year-old friend — who died following a skateboarding accident on Thanksgiving Day — with a paddle out on Wednesday, December 10, 4 p.m., at East Beach on the Santa Barbara shoreline. Tomblin, who was a senior at San Marcos High and played on the water polo team, was an avid outdoorsman and especially fond of the Pacific Ocean, where he loved to fish by hook and spear.
There will be more gatherings to come, according to Tomblin’s family, but this will be the first public event to honor him, and it’s all being put on by his peers and teammates.
“Tayden had the biggest heart, and he only ever had good intentions,” said his friend Kate Crowder, who is helping to organize the paddle out. “He was passionate about many things, including the ocean, water polo, swim, culinary, science, animals, and his friends. He was so smart, and he accomplished so much during his limited time. My favorite memory of Tayden was when he caught a fish in the ocean, built a fire, and then cooked the fish on a rusty shovel and gave it to us to eat. Tayden, I will forever miss you.”