Community rallies after death of young father of three

IDAHO FALLS — Of everything, Rylee Baird’s widow wants the world to remember his smile and his love for his family.

“He was amazing,” said McKenzy Baird, Rylee’s wife of eight years and mother to their three young children. “He did absolutely anything for our kiddos.”

On the afternoon of Sept. 18, Rylee, 29, died in a car crash after he reportedly clipped a trailer and collided with a truck.

According to the Idaho State Police, the crash occurred on U.S. Highway 20 near mile marker 297 in Bonneville County.

Baird was reportedly driving east in a 2025 Kia K5 when it collided with the trailer of a westbound 2019 Kenworth semitruck driven by a 40-year-old man from Aurora, Colorado. A 2023 Ford F-150, driven by a 22-year-old man from Severance, Colorado, then collided with the Kia.

Baird died at the scene.

Obituary | Rylee Nile Baird

According to his obituary, Baird was “all-in” when it came to being a dad to his children, ages eight, four and two.

“Rylee was an amazing dad, and he was all-in when it came to raising his kids. He wasn’t waiting to be told what needed to be done,” says the obituary. “He made dinner, got the kids ready, handled finances, figured things out, took charge when life got complicated, and carried the everyday responsibilities that come with raising a family.”

Baird’s wife says the two met in eighth grade and were together for 10 years after becoming inseparable in high school.

“Rylee loved McKenzy fiercely. She was his high school sweetheart, his wife, his partner, and truly his soulmate,” says the obituary. “Her happiness mattered to him. He wanted to know she was okay, that she had what she needed, and that she felt completely loved and cared for.”

According to McKenzy, Rylee was always ready to help someone in need and felt a strong passion for making people laugh.

“He was just always ready to help anybody if he could, and he just absolutely loved, loved, loved being with people,” said McKenzy. “Making them laugh, coming up with fun, silly games for the kids and stuff like that.”

His obituary states that he was often the life of the party and enjoyed “making the ordinary moments good ones.”

“He also never seemed to forget how to have fun. At family gatherings, there was a good chance you’d find Rylee with the kids. He didn’t just tolerate the chaos; he joined it,” says his obituary. “He entertained them, played with them, made them laugh, and brought a lightness to his extended family that will be deeply missed. ”

McKenzy says the loss has created a heavy financial strain on top of the emotional turmoil the family is going through. A family friend recently organized a GoFundMe to raise money for unexpected costs and bills after Rylee’s passing.

“He took care of everything. I’ve been a stay-at-home mom since our oldest was born, and he’s been taking care of everything,” says McKenzy. “He took care of all the bills, he took care of all of the money and the groceries and stuff like that.”

McKenzy says the donations from the fundraiser will help the family until she is able to find a job that supports her and the kids.

“(The donations) will help us until I’m able to get back out there or until the kids are all in school. That way I can still be there for them,” says McKenzy. “So they don’t have to lose a dad, and a mom to work, and then they have to go back to something they’re not used to.”

Click here to donate to the GoFundMe to support the Baird family.

“Rylee brought something special to his family,” says the obituary. “He grew into someone who was incredibly smart, quick to laugh, easy to talk to, and genuinely interested in the people and world around him.”