Ayden Altman's Loved Ones Seek Justice and Memorialize Kentucky Teen Killed by Semi Truck With Moving TikToks

Ayden Altman, 17, of La Grange, Kentucky, was a senior in high school and dreamed of becoming a welder.
Ayden Altman, 17, of La Grange, Kentucky, was a senior in high school and dreamed of becoming a welder. Family handout

A month after 17-year-old Ayden Altman's death, friends and family are continuing to seek answers.

A flood of videos with the hashtag #JusticeForAydenAltman are appearing on TikTok that seek to find answers and justice in the death of the 17-year-old, who was fatally struck by a semi truck last month.

Ayden Altman had been driving a black Chevrolet with a friend in the passenger seat when he hit a rock embankment and crashed his car. He had stepped out of his vehicle when he was fatally struck by a semi truck that swerved to avoid hitting his car, and hit him instead, authorities said.

He was 17 years old, and had been looking forward graduating from Oldham County High School in LaGrange in the spring.

In the days following his death, and as his devastated family mourned the loss of their only child, Ayden’s friends led the charge in organizing sweet ways to remember their late friend and bring their devastated community together.

The high schoolers organized gatherings at their church, prayer vigils, balloon releases and even a truck gathering in honor of his love of trucks and country music, a family member told Inside Edition Digital.

Many of his friends are also sharing videos on TikTok, some featuring photos and videos of their happier times with Ayden, and others demanding justice for his death.

“Justice,” his close friend Hayley Edds told WLKY. “That’s it. We need closure. We need to know who did this to our friend.”

Those who loved him remembered him for his fun and outgoing personality, and said he was “the best friend everyone wanted to have,” according to his obituary. His favorite activities included riding dirt bikes, fishing, detailing cars, playing video games and hanging out with his friends, the obituary continued.

The family has set up a scholarship in his name to support students looking to learn the craft of welding, a path Ayden wanted to follow.

After hitting Ayden, the semi truck left the scene. Authorities have not found the vehicle, nor have they identified the driver in the incident. 

Anyone with information or who may have dashboard camera footage of the crash is asked to call Oldham County Police at (502) 222-1300.

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