BILLINGS — Hundreds of motorcycles, tow trucks, race cars, and community members formed a large procession on Saturday in the Billings Heights to honor 31-year-old Donald "DJ" Blyton, who died in a motorcycle accident on July 10.
Watch hundreds of motorcycles and tow trucks honor the life of a Billings man tragically killed:
From the time he was a kid, DJ had a passion for anything with wheels, from racing, motorcycles, and towing.
“Tow trucks was always his beginning. It was always everything to him," said Erika Haaby, DJ's longtime friend.
Towing was also in his blood. His father, Don Blyton, owns Billings Towing, where DJ worked for over 15 years. Those who knew him described him as being tough on the outside, but deeply compassionate, and would never hesitate to show up for others.
"If somebody broke down, needed his pickup truck. He'd give them his pickup truck. He didn't care,” said Blyton. "People said, you know, he'd be mad at you and you could pick up the phone, call him, he'd be the first one there and last one to leave."
Tragically, DJ was killed in a motorcycle accident in Billings near the intersection of Laurel Road and Foote Street on July 10. He was 31 years old and left a world changed for those he met along his journey.
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"It's tragic the way he went out, but that was what he loved,” said Haaby. "He was not only a best friend, but he was a brother. He always said that blood didn't make us family. We were just family, it didn't matter.”
Haaby and her husband, who shared a home with DJ for over a decade, wanted to honor him in a final ride.
“My husband kept telling everybody, you know, the one thing he always wanted was for the ground to rumble if he ever went, so we made it happen,” said Haaby.
They helped organize a memorial ride with the assistance of the Forbidden Brothers motorcycle club and other groups in town. They also issued a call on social media for anyone in the community who knew DJ to attend.
The response was more than anyone expected. Nearly 400 bikers, racers, and loved ones came to the Billings Heights to line up outside of the Heights Family Funeral Home and travel together to Huntley. Several tow truck operators came from across the state, including Great Falls, Helena, Circle, and the surrounding area.
“I knew some were coming. I'd never figured on that many," said Blyton.
The line of vehicles stretched back across the interstate in what seemed like an endless stream of engines, flashing lights, and heartfelt goodbyes. For DJ's friends and family, the sight was emotional.
"You look back up as far up the hill as you can possibly see, with still lines and lines with vehicles and lights, headlights, and there’s not words for it. People tell you it's going to be that big, but you can never imagine it until it shows up," said Blyton. “The outpouring from the community has been unreal."
"It was so overwhelming because we're crying because of how beautiful it is that all of these people did show up for DJ," added Haaby. "It was amazing,”
DJ was more than a tow truck operator or a racer, but a friend, son, father to three girls, and a steady hand in difficult times. Even if not by blood, he was family in the truest sense, shown by those who came to honor him. All came because they knew him from his career and different hobbies in life, but now they all know each other because of him.
“That's what it is, it's an outpouring of support and love that he's gonna be missed. Know him or not, people are going to miss him because they never got the chance,” said Blyton.
“It will never be the same without him. We’ll never fully heal. When he left, he took a piece of us with him, but I know if he was here, he'd be proud," added Haaby. "So I'm happy for that. I'll take that any day.”
