A Distracted Driving Awareness Walk honoring Kyler Gatica comes to Mt. Juliet High School on Saturday, Oct. 17.

The walk begins at 10 a.m. at 1875 Golden Bear Gateway and runs until 1 p.m. No registration or ticket is required.

Mt. Juliet Police Chief Tyler Chandler joined the Gatica family on WKRN News 2 to spread the word, the Mt. Juliet Police Department announced Wednesday, Oct. 7. Kyler's Impact Foundation is organizing the event in partnership with the department.

The walk carries a Halloween theme and doubles as a fundraiser for the foundation. The foundation's website describes it as a family-friendly day with costumes, treats and activities alongside the distracted driving awareness mission.

Kyler Gatica was 16 when he was killed in October 2024. He and his parents, Matt and Stephanie Gatica, were driving home from a beach vacation on I-840 East in Rutherford County when another driver rear-ended their vehicle, according to WKRN. State Rep. Clark Boyd said the crash was caused by a distracted driver, NewsChannel 5 reported. Matt and Stephanie were also injured.

The Gaticas founded Kyler's Impact Foundation to promote road safety awareness and acts of kindness in their son's memory. Stephanie Gatica also wrote a children's book called "Kind like Kyler," which tells the story of the day her son met his best friend in fifth grade.

In a May 2026 interview with WKRN about Kyler's graduation tribute at Mt. Juliet High School, Stephanie Gatica said the family wanted more than a memorial. "I told them I didn't just want a memorial; I wanted a celebration," she said.

Gov. Bill Lee signed a law renaming a stretch of I-840, between mile markers 53 and 55, as "The Kyler Gatica Memorial Highway." The highway was formally dedicated Aug. 28, with Boyd and state Sens. Mark Pody and Dawn White in attendance.

Matt Gatica told WKRN in May that his son's kindness drew people to him. "People just gravitated towards him because of how kind he was to others," he said.

More information about the Oct. 17 walk is available at kylersimpact.org.