A year later, father of fallen Knightdale officer feels son will leave lasting legacy

It's hard to believe it's been a year since rookie Knightdale Police Officer Ryan Hayworth was struck and killed while responding to an accident on the side of I-540 by a suspected drunk driver.

While Hayworth's family is still grieving, they believe they have seen Ryan's legacy grow exponentially in the past year.

The family has chosen to surround themselves with memorabilia that reminds them of the contributions he made to the world in his short time on earth.

A picture of 23-year-old Ryan Hayworth in his Knightdale Police uniform shows him following in his father's footsteps. His father is Tim Hayworth, a retired Zebulon police chief.

"I think he always wanted to be a police officer," said Tim Hayworth. "We say that sometimes as a cliche, a person died doing what they loved, but he did."

On Oct. 17, 2021, three months after Ryan became a police officer, he was hit and killed by a suspected drunk driver on the side of I-540 while he was responding to an earlier accident. His father got a call in the middle of the night.

"That Zebulon sargent was screaming into the phone, 'chief you've got to get to the hospital, Ryan's hurt, he's hurt bad," Tim Hayworth said.

"That's actually his duty gun that he was carrying when he was killed," Tim Hayworth said. "The Knightdale Police Department gave us that."

Before becoming a police officer, Ryan joined the National Guard and was deployed to Kuwait.

But Tim Hayworth said his son was much more than his resume. He cared about people and had an infectious personality.

"He was an upbeat energetic person with a smile and enthused about everything," Tim Hayworth said.

The kindness Ryan showed others is now coming back to his family through the kindness of friends and strangers.

"It really has been an outpouring of love to us and none of that brings Ryan back, but it comforting to know that people care," Tim Hayworth said.

Ryan's family is making sure he will never be forgotten.

"His life ended Oct. 17, 2021, but his story does not end there, his legacy goes on," Tim Hayworth said.

Ryan's family started the "Live Like Ryan Foundation" to raise money for young people to do things like go to camp and go on mission trips, things they believe led Ryan to a life of service.

The man investigators say hit and killed Officer Hayworth, Dedric Privette, is now in jail on a $2 million bond. Privette is awaiting trial on the upgraded charge of second-degree murder after being indicted by a Wake County grand jury last week.

Tim Hayworth has also filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Privette.