Tyler Doyle’s friends and family say his generosity, helpfulness and big hugs are a few of his best characteristics.
They gathered at the T. Craig Campbell Landing in Little River Sunday afternoon for a vigil — more than 20 days since the 22-year-old was last seen.
“He was a vibrant person and still is. Because we’re gonna believe he’s alive because we haven’t seen that he’s not,” said Jimmy Floyd, pastor of Doyle’s church, Dogwood Hill Baptist. “When Tyler would come into a room, he would come in there with a smile. He would come from across the room to speak to you. I just loved him.”
Doyle has been missing since Jan. 26. Around 4 p.m. that day, Doyle and a friend were at the Little River jetties on a duck hunting trip when the 16-foot jon boat Doyle was in began taking on water, authorities said.
Doyle had dropped his friend off on the north jetty. He called his friend and said the boat was having mechanical issues and he couldn’t keep the motor running and the boat was taking on water.
Emergency crews responded but no one could find Doyle.
Since then, numerous law enforcement and volunteer crews have searched for the missing duck hunter.
At Sunday's vigil, some attendees wore shirts with pictures of a race car that sported the number 38, which was Doyle’s racing number, his friend Brian Mercer said.
“He can do anything [to a car] you want done to it,” he said. “We raced together. … He’s a very outgoing person. He doesn't meet a stranger. He’s very very friendly. When you see Tyler, all you see is his smile. He’s never disappointed, never mad.”
Chance Mincey, Doyle’s friend for years, said that Doyle is the kind of person who would help a stranger with a flat tire on the side of a highway.
Doyle’s friends said he would go duck hunting every chance he could get.
Many of the vigil attendees share Doyle’s passion for duck hunting. Numerous hunters brought their duck calls to the service and simultaneously sounded them for their missing loved one.
Duck noises could be heard all around the boat landing and the crowd held their phones' flashlights in the air during the calls as they all stood in solidarity.
Isaiah Brown, Doyle’s second cousin, said Doyle was his best friend and that the two talked nearly every day and spent many weekends together on the water.
Doyle’s wife Lakelyn is pregnant with their daughter, and Floyd, their pastor who officiated their wedding, said that Doyle is already a great father.
“Not only did he love [Lakelyn] when he dated her, but when they got married, she just became a big portion of his life,” Floyd said. “She loved to go racing with him and he liked that, too. And then when they found out they’re gonna have a baby, when he found out Paisley was coming, he was so excited about that.”
The family announced during the vigil that the Civil Air Patrol of the U.S. Air Force Auxiliary has joined in the search for Doyle.
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