Neighbors say teen died doing something he loved
Police said Tristin Franklin died while on a jog on Tuesday afternoon
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) - Troy Simpkins says almost every evening for the last year he’d look out the window and see Tristin Franklin on a jog.
Franklin was a sophomore at Sycamore High School and ran cross country for the school.
“He always ran in the afternoons. Sometimes he would run twice a day,” Simpkins said.
Simpkins said sometimes Franklin would stop and say hello.
“He would run in the afternoon when Tom [his husband] would be outside with the dog and quite a few times he would run over and just quickly pet the dog and say hi and he would just keep on running,” he said.
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On Tuesday, Simpkins glanced out the window and saw him run past.
“I saw him run past like I have many, many times and I didn’t really think anything of it,” Simpkins said.
But moments later, Tristan had collapsed.
“My husband brought our dog out which he does every day when his work day is done and there was a gentleman two doors down that was waving at him frantically like trying to get his attention,” Simpkins said.
The group called 911 and tried to help him but quickly learned there was nothing they could do.
”It’s been something Tom is still dealing with this morning, but nothing like what Franklin’s family is going through,” Simpkins said. “My heart just goes out to them. I mean it’s so sad that he was so young, and he had his whole life ahead of him so tell the people you love how much you love them.”
Cheatham County Schools released a statement about Tristin’s death.
“The impact of such a loss is immeasurable,” the school system said.
Counseling will be available this week at the high school.
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