The death of anyone always produces questions and in many cases, it is a sad occasion that may stick with us for a long time. It is especially sad, however, when the person who passes away is young.

This recently happened to Ace Patton Ashford, a rodeo star roper from Lott, Texas. He was dragged by a horse and passed away from his injuries at the age of 18.

According to reports, he had been helping a sick calf when a nearby horse was spooked. The report said: “Somehow, the man’s leg got tangled and the horse [dragged] him quite a distance in an open field.”

When first responders arrived on the scene around 8 AM, they quickly got to work. Ashford was airlifted and at the time, he had a pulse and was breathing but he had suffered significant head injuries. According to first responders, he was in ‘bad shape’ before passing away.

He would spend hours practicing roping techniques and was a member of the Texas High School Rodeo Association. He had earned a scholarship and was preparing to head off to college.

A tribute was posted by Troy Ashford Farmers Insurance: “Our hearts are extremely saddened for the Ashford family as they lost their youngest son in a tragic horse accident on Monday. We pray for peace and comfort for all the family and friends. If you knew Ace Ashford, you knew an amazing and humble young man. Recent high school graduate on his way to his college career. He was taken from us too soon and we are all in mourning.

“Please bare with us as we mourn the loss as a family together. We will be on limited staff for the next few days in the office, but our district office is ready and available to assist our customers however possible. They can be reached at 254-531-0484.

“Ace—our heart hurts and we will never truly understand why, but we know you are flying high with the greatest man possible and are no longer in pain. We will always love you!”

We are sorry for the death of such a young and hopeful individual. May he rest in peace.