A father was killed by an alleged drunk driver an instant after pushing his niece, nephew and daughter to safety as the car sped toward them.
Thomas Lyon, 29, was on holiday in Panama City Beach, Florida, on August 2 with family and his pregnant wife, Mackenzie, celebrating their first wedding anniversary.
Mackenzie explained that the family was staying at a rented beach house after driving from their home in Brumley, Missouri, in the Ozarks.
After dinner, they walked to the beach to hunt for crab and had to cross a public access road to get to the sand.
Looking both ways before crossing, they saw a car about half a mile away in the 30mph zone and began to pass through the designated crosswalk about 9 pm.
Thomas Lyon, 29, was on holiday in Panama City Beach, Florida, on August 2 with family and his pregnant wife Mackenzie, when he was killed
Thomas and Mackenzie, pictured with their younger daughter, were celebrating their first wedding anniversary along with extended family
‘I noticed the car was getting close, quick so I yelled for everyone to run. We all got across the road except for Thomas,’ Mackenzie said.
Mackenzie said Thomas grabbed her niece Danni and threw her out of the way, then desperately pushed his daughter, Quinn, and nephew Oakley clear.
‘He pushed Danni, Quinn and Oakley out of the way before the impact happened. If he wouldn’t have done that we would’ve been burying three more kids with him,’ Mackenzie said.
Mackenzie said her husband was over the crosswalk and on the shoulder of the road when he was mowed down.
Thomas’ other daughter Ivy and other family had already made it clear of the oncoming 2024 Nissan Altima, which police alleged was going about 70mph.
Thomas’ nephew Oakley, whom he pushed out of the way just before the car hit him
Thomas grabbed his niece Danni (pictured with her own father) and threw her out of the way
Casey Austin Rattan, 39, was arrested by Bay County Sheriff’s Office deputies the next day and charged with DUI manslaughter and vehicular homicide.
He was released on $250,000 bail that day, but taken into custody again on August 5, and later released again. He faces 14 years in prison if convicted as charged.
Mackenzie declared she would make it her life’s mission to get Rattan as much jail time as possible, calling him ‘the man that murdered my husband’.
‘Casey, I hope you or someone in your family sees this and you know that I will spend my entire life getting justice for Thomas,’ she wrote on Facebook.
‘You deserve the same outcome as him and I hope you get every single bad thing coming for you.
‘You traumatized not only me but my kid, my nephews, brother in law, sister in law, sister and mom.
‘You forever changed our lives and I will have to go to bed every single night with the image of seeing what you did to Thomas right in front of all of us just because you decided to drink and drive.
‘Because of you my kids will grow up without a dad and Thomas will never get to meet his unborn child.’
Casey Austin Rattan, 39, was arrested by Bay County Sheriff’s Office deputies the next day and charged with DUI manslaughter and vehicular homicide
Thomas was a loving father to his daughters, and his life ‘revolved around them’
Mackenzie said she was unhappy with the charges as there were numerous witnesses among her family and other bystanders.
‘Yes, I’m heartbroken and sad but mostly I’m angry and will do all I can to make sure this “man” gets more than the predicted 14 years in prison,’ she wrote.
‘There were SO many people that witnessed this and we have so many people that did reports on his accelerated speed.’
Thomas’ obituary described him as a larger-than-life personality who was always willing to help others in need.
‘His life revolved around his wife and daughters, who were his whole world,’ it read
‘He shared his love for the outdoors with his daughters, taking them fishing and creating tender memories with each activity they did.
‘His family and friends will remember him for his cringe-y dad jokes and his devotion to loved ones, especially children, loving them as if they were his own.’
His funeral will be held at Mt Union Cemetery in Brumley on August 16.
Thomas and Mackenzie got married in the area around Panama Beach City, Florida, and returned there a year later for the fateful holiday
Thomas’ obituary described him as a larger-than-life personality who was always willing to help others in need
David Hand, a youth minister at Cornerstone First Global Methodist Church in Alabama, was nearby with teenagers on a church camp.
‘I have tried my best to come up with the words to say, but all I can say is you and your family is loved by so many people,’ he told Mackenzie in a Facebook post.
‘Your husband was prayed over until the Police and Ambulance arrived. When I arrived back to our camp, I had 70 people mostly teenagers in tears praying. They have written powerful testimonies about that night.’
Friends also paid tribute to Thomas and his last act to save his family before he was killed.
‘My stomach is still in knots at the thought of this nightmare,’ his sister-in-law Heather Welch wrote.
‘My heart aches for the loss your daughters and unborn child now have, growing up without their father and what they had to witness. The world is a cruel place and you deserve way better.’
Thomas (left) at a wedding where he was a groomsman to his friend Tyler
Mackenzie declared she would make it her life’s mission to get Rattan as much jail time as possible, calling him ‘the man that murdered my husband’
Mackenzie’s sister, Madison Barnfield, started a fundraiser for the family’s expenses and to pay for a lawyer.
‘To know Thomas, was to love him. He just had that personality, he would do anything to help anyone and loved fiercely. His girls are what made his world go round,’ she wrote.
‘Makenzie recently found out last week that she was expecting. Thomas will never get the chance to meet their unborn baby due to a selfish, senseless man who took everything from him and us.’
Thomas graduated Waynesville High School in 2013 and worked at Maximum Remodeling for several years before starting a career with Midwest Roofing.
‘He considered his co-workers as extended family,’ his obituary read.