A life story drawn from public records and memories shared by his mother Jody Tibbetts. This account brings together what is known so far; family stories can continue to enrich it.

Colton Ridge Tibbetts was born on November 6, 2002, in Jacksonville, Florida, and grew up in Keystone Heights. He was the youngest son of Brian Keith and Jody Lynn Tibbetts and the brother of Austin Cole Tibbetts. His life began in a family whose connection to firefighting stretched across generations. In time, he would carry that tradition forward himself. [1, 3; birthplace and youngest-son detail from Jody]

In Keystone Heights, Colton built friendships that lasted from childhood into adulthood. Ian Schofield remembered growing up playing sports with him. A family friend recalled that even in elementary school, Colton was considerate, bright, and respectful. Those recollections give a glimpse of the boy who came before the uniform. [3]

His school years reveal both an athlete and a determined student. Colton attended Keystone Heights Junior/Senior High School, and his recruiting profile identifies him with the class of 2021. He played football, with wide receiver and cornerback listed as his positions, and wore number 1. In his personal statement, he said he had been starting on varsity since the end of his freshman year. He also played basketball and competed in weightlifting, including at the state championship. [2]

There is something especially meaningful about finding his own words from those years: “I’m fully committed academically and competitively all year.” He wrote that he was dual enrolled and taking college classes at Santa Fe College. Jody remembers that he earned his associate’s degree before graduating from high school. His mother’s pride in his dedication has a concrete history behind it: he was already working toward his future while still a teenager. [2; degree detail from Jody]

Colton also enjoyed life outdoors. Family friend Jeff Feltman remembered his enthusiasm for fishing, hunting, and riding motorcycles, along with his loyalty to Alabama football. Feltman described a young man deeply attached to his family. These are details of how he spent and enjoyed his life, beyond school and work. [4]

Colton served as a paramedic and engineer with the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department, as his mother Jody has confirmed. Following his father Brian into the department, he continued a family tradition; public tributes identified him as a fourth-generation firefighter. In November 2025, at 22, he was promoted to engineer. JFRD recognized the effort and dedication behind that promotion. His work reflected the desire to help others that his mother remembers. [3; paramedic qualification and personal recollections from Jody]

Feltman remembered Colton arriving as a recruit and introducing himself with handshakes. He also remembered Colton calling Brian after shifts, sharing the calls he had responded to and what had happened during the night. Father and son had a profession in common, and their conversations carried that connection into everyday family life. At Brian’s retirement earlier in 2026, Feltman saw pride in Colton’s smile and interpreted it as a willingness to carry the family tradition forward. [4]

His Christian faith mattered to him. Jody has described Colton as a man who shared his faith with others. Friends who spoke publicly after his death also remembered his devotion to God and his love for family and friends. His mother remembers that he wanted to help people. Together, those memories show what mattered to him in the life he was building. [3; personal recollections from Jody]

For Jody, Colton was her youngest son and her best friend. She remembers that he called often, sometimes simply because he wanted to talk. They told each other “I love you” every day, sometimes several times. She has said he treated her like a queen. Those calls and words belong at the heart of his story. They show the closeness between them in ordinary moments, and how regularly he made his love known. [Jody’s recollections]

Colton died on March 25, 2026, at 23, in a car crash in Melrose. His death brought his family, friends, and fellow firefighters together in grief. Fire and law enforcement agencies lined the route as he was escorted home. A candlelight vigil took place at Keystone Beach on March 28, and his funeral was held at Community Christian Church in Keystone Heights on March 29. [1, 3, 4]

In the months afterward, his family began preserving his memory through the Colton Ridge Tibbetts Legacy Foundation Co. Florida’s official record lists the nonprofit as active, filed May 19, 2026, with an effective date of May 18. Jody, Brian, and Austin are named as officers. Jody has spoken about a scholarship and about carrying forward Colton’s desire to help others. [5; scholarship and purpose from Jody]

His memory also lives in places that matter to his family. Jody has described placing his urn beside a creek in Breckenridge, connected to his last vacation. That memory belongs alongside the football field, the fire station, and the phone calls home: another part of the life his family remembers and continues to love. [Jody’s recollections]

The record we have is of a young man who worked hard in school, enjoyed sports and the outdoors, valued his faith, and served his community as a paramedic and engineer with the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department. His family’s memories bring him closer: Colton calling his mother to talk, telling her he loved her, and calling his father after a shift. He was building a future, and he was already deeply present in the lives of the people who loved him.

Sources and family recollections

1. Family Owned Funeral Group, obituary for Colton Ridge Tibbetts. https://www.familyownedfuneralgroup.com/obituaries/colton-tibbetts-age-23-of-keystone-heights
2. NCSA, Colton Tibbetts class of 2021 recruiting profile and personal statement. https://www.ncsasports.org/football-recruiting/florida/keystone-heights/keystone-heights-junior-senior-high-school/colton-tibbetts
3. News4JAX, March 29 2026, updated March 30, loved ones remember Colton. https://www.news4jax.com/news/local/2026/03/29/life-of-23-year-old-jfrd-engineer-who-died-in-crash-to-be-remembered-sunday-in-hometown-of-keystone-heights/
4. Action News Jax, Jessica Salinas, March 28 2026, community members remember Colton. https://www.actionnewsjax.com/news/local/community-members-remember-fourth-generation-firefighter-colton-tibbetts/F4AXROZAIVDDZLV3QJYARPOTEM/
5. Florida Division of Corporations, Colton Ridge Tibbetts Legacy Foundation Co., document N26000007222. https://search.sunbiz.org/Inquiry/CorporationSearch/ByDocumentNumber

Family recollections are attributed to Jody and drawn from what she shared in conversations. The public sources were checked October 1 2026. The sources do not establish a precise JFRD hiring date, so no exact joining year is asserted here. Jody confirmed on October 1 2026 that Colton was a paramedic and engineer with the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department; this account uses those corrected titles.