Just two days before his 25th birthday, Ronald Garrett Viccaro’s life was taken from him on April 1, 2013, alongside his best friend, Justin Mitchell, 25. Garrett was two days away from his 25th birthday, and Justin had just turned 25, and so they both went fishing (one of their favorite pastimes) on the Eau Gallie Causeway Bridge in Indian Harbour Beach. A driver was looking at his cell phone while driving and when his vehicle veered onto the shoulder, both Garrett and Justin were killed.
Garrett and Justin had been friends since elementary school. “Just two buddies, out celebrating their birthdays, had their young, promising lives stolen from them,” Trisha Viccaro told the Viera Voice.
Garrett was born in Atlanta Georgia on April 3, 1988 to Ron and Trisha Viccaro, and grew up around the country in Dawsonville, GA, Lindenhurst, Illinois, and Concord, North Carolina. He completed his education in Indian Harbour BEach, Florida, where he attended Hoover Middle School and Satellite Beach High School. Ronald graduated from Johnsons Wales Culinary School in Charlotte, North Carolina, fulfilling his lifelong dream of becoming a chef. Post-graduation, he worked as a chef for The Gaylord Hotel in Orlando, Florida.
He attended Trinity Presbyterian Church and loved being outdoors, especially fishing, hiking, surfing, paintball, hunting, and car racing.
The driver was given a mere $169 ticket and suspended license as punishment, as well as ordered to perform community service projects selected by the families of both young men. The Viccarro family chose for the driver to volunteer for the “It Can Wait” campaign to discourage drivers from texting behind the well.
The ticket angered Trisha, who told the Daily Mail: “Now you’re going to get a citation, a ticket, that says you killed two boys, shame on you? The law has to be changed … The citation is only the beginning.”
Garrett also enjoyed food, and had created his own recipes for food from a very young age. He was nicknamed “Smiles” in high school because of his charismatic smile. Garrett was known to be tender, caring, loving and supportive, touching so many in some small way throughout his short life.
[Read about Garrett’s friend, Justin Mitchell here.]
