Family of 3 killed in Memorial Day crash was 'joyful, open, lighthearted,' pastor says

A family of three whose lives were cut short by a tragic crash in Garner on Memorial Day was laid to rest on Thursday.

A funeral for Tyler and Susan Campbell, and their 8-year-old son Miles, was held at Corinth Baptist Church in Ellenboro in the western part of North Carolina. The service was livestreamed.

At noon, loved ones entered the packed church, walking up to three caskets placed side-by-side.

Pastor Mike Conner spoke, describing the young family and sharing memories from loved ones.

"The Campbells were genuine to the core, hospitable, joyful, open, lighthearted and always ready for a good time with friends and family," Conner said. "They made relationships their most important priority. Their empathy was boundless. It's a wonder their spirits weren't hardened by life's challenges."

Conner went on to describe each family member, saying, "Tyler was strong and independent loving and generous, he loved his wife and son more than anyone on earth."

Conner said Susie, who worked as a nurse at WakeMed Cary, was "generous and wanted to help anyone in need."

"Susie lived life outside the lines," he said. "She loved people and animals unabashedly ... her happiness was contagious, she had an energy that radiated to everyone around her."

The pastor said Miles "was most caring and compassionate little kid I ever knew."

The service ended with Conner describing, "There are no words to describe how much we love them and will miss them ... their passing has created difficult times for all who know them."

Memorial services for the family will continue this weekend, and several memorials have already been held in honor of the family, who many remember as being actively involved in their community. A weekend service is planned at 3 p.m. on Saturday in Garner at a building Summit Church uses on Vandora Springs Road.

Three white crosses stand at New Rand Road and U.S. Highway 70 in Garner, where the family was hit by another driver.

Jordan Porter, 25, the other driver in the crash, is facing second-degree murder charges. Warrants show he was drinking and smoking marijuana before the crash and that he was going over 80 mph in a 45 mph zone when the crash happened.

Porter's wife also said they knew the car was in need of repair work and said the brakes and steering had issues, according to warrants. DMV records confirmed the vehicle hadn't had a safety inspection since Feb. 29, 2020.

Earlier this week, Cub Scouts' Pack 391 held a vigil for the family at the Garner UMC Fire Ring. Miles was a member of the Cub Scouts Pack.

"It's so heartwarming to see so many in attendance today," an Occoneechee Council Boy Scouts of America leader said. "There's no words that can express how heartbroken we all were when we heard the news ... Scouting fosters community, and you are emblematic of that."

Dozens also gathered last weekend at White Deer Park in Garner for a walk/run to honor the Campbell family's memory.