r Each year in the month of March, the popular, Utah Valley Magazine does an issue highlighting 40 individuals who have been influential within the community, and calls them the “Fab 40.” According to the writer of this year’s’ edition, Ansalee Morrison, the magazine’s goal is to highlight 40 fabulous people from a variety of ages and backgrounds from around Utah Valley. This year’s theme was centered around superpowers, with each individual featured being asked his or her “save-the-day moments, personal kryptonites, heroes and preferred superpowers.”
In this year’s edition, four individuals were from the South Utah County area — two of whom are teens who Morrison said had impressive accomplishments and stories worthy of sharing.
The first teen from our area featured on the list at no. 20, is no stranger to the Serve Daily audience. In fact, Serve Daily ran a story on him and his dad in our December issue showcasing a clothing line aimed at suicide awareness and prevention. It is his clothing line, “Your Tribe Clothing,” that helped earn Springville High School junior, Kaden Garcia his spot on UVM’s Fab 40 list.
According to the article, Kaden said his kryptonite was negativity, and his save-the-day moment was being a listener. “I know [negativity] isn’t something that is very avoidable in today’s day, but time to time negativity from around me tries to get me down,” he told Utah Valley Magazine. “I’m always an ear to listen to the struggles of those I’m close to, and I feel like a hero when I can help them through things.”
Kaden told Serve Daily that being featured in the magazine was an honor, and he hopes to continue to grow the clothing line to break the stigma of suicide.
“We want to continue to grow our business and spread the word to break the stigma of suicide as much as we can,” he said.” We want to get the word spread to everyone. … We love the help and kindness we find in new people that reach out to us and those that are so willing to sacrifice their own time to help us. On our social media [page], we let it be known we want everyone to be a part of this with us and that our inbox is always open to people’s words.”
The second teen is Spanish Fork High school junior, Dallin Pepper who was featured after being named “Fittest Teen on Earth” two years in a row by the CrossFit Games. Pepper was also featured in Serve Daily after earning his first title.
Dallin told UVM that the hero he looks up to is his mom, stating, “[My mom] works harder than anyone I know — two or three jobs all the time — to support us and let us do the things we want to do. She taught me that sometimes you have to do crappy things you don’t want to do to get to the things you do want to do.”
When Serve Daily asked Dallin how it felt to be named Fittest Teen and featured in the magazine, he said he didn’t feel any different.
“It honestly didn’t feel any different,” he said. “There was a sense of relief knowing all the hard work paid off, but you have to remember happiness doesn’t lie on the other side of achievement. You have to enjoy the process of getting there. I want other teens to know that you can literally do anything you want to do if you work hard enough. You’re the only thing stopping you.”
Dallin doesn’t plan on his success ending with this title, telling Serve Daily that he is going to continue competing in CrossFit, and hopes to someday win the CrossFit Games as an adult.
To read the entire “Fab 40” article that also features South Utah County residents, Alan Hutchinson and Joshua Smith, go to utahvalley360.com.
