Henderson parents with Utah ties advocate for e-scooter safety after daughter's death

HENDERSON, Nev. — A Henderson couple with ties to Utah is hoping to raise awareness regarding e-bike and e-scooter safety after their 14-year-old daughter was struck and killed while at a marked crosswalk last week.

Torrianne Mortenson, 14, was on her way home from school at Basic Academy of International Studies when an SUV hit her on October 21, her parents Jacob and Maranda Mortenson told KSL in an interview Thursday. After a day in the hospital, the couple was faced with the decision to remove Torrianne from life support. Both described their daughter as being full of life

"She was beautiful. She was outgoing. She was smart. She was fiercely independent," Maranda Mortensen said.

Her parents said their daughter was wearing a helmet at the time of the incident. Henderson Police also reported that several cars were stopped waiting for Torrianne to cross when the SUV struck her.

"We got her the scooter because we wanted to give her a little independence," Jacob Mortenson said. "She was outside the busing area. We live under two miles away, so they couldn't bus her to school. I was like, 'Oh, let's get her a scooter!'

"We didn't give her the scooter for 2 to 3 weeks because we went through training and courses and helmet safety and all that stuff," he added. "We taught her everything she needed to know prior to getting her on the scooter."

Jacob spent much of his youth in Cedar City and said that his family has received lots of love and support from the community, including from a GoFundMe that was set up, for which he said that he is grateful. Jacob also said that he hopes that sharing their story will cause people to be more aware, adding that he has plans to turn their tragedy into something that can help others.

"We want to use this negative event and turn it into a positive one so people are actually talking about things, and so it's actually saving lives," Jacob said. "We plan on starting a nonprofit foundation for e-scooter and e-bike and helmet safety."

Torrianne would have turned 15 on Nov. 2, and her mother said that she is grateful to the individuals who were first on the scene who made it possible for her daughter to give the gift of organ donation.

"I highly appreciate the first response from the bystanders that were there before the first responders," Maranda said. "We know that Torrianne probably lost her life in that moment when she was hit. If it wasn't for them she wouldn't have been able to give some life to other people .

"I'm grateful that her heart is still beating, her lungs are still breathing, and she was also able to donate her liver," Maranda added. "She's still alive with us and I'm so grateful for that."

There will be a viewing and funeral service will be held Nov. 7 at the Southern Utah Mortuary in Cedar City.

"She loved fiercely. She lit up any room she walked into," Maranda said. "Her friends are heartbroken. She touched our lives. I don't I don't know how to move my days right now without her."