Twenty-three-year-old Remy Kitaj Boothe died after being struck by a car on a Southern California highway January 1.

Boothe, a San Diego resident, was walking in a lane of Interstate 5, near Mission Beach, when he was struck by an 2000 Isuzu Rodeo at approximately 7:30 p.m. According to California State Highway Patrol, Boothe was pronounced dead at the scene.

The driver told officers he did not see Boothe, who had his back to traffic, and was wearing dark clothing.

“I am a strong believer that everything in life happens for a reason,” Boothe wrote to a friend late last year, “and it’s by that philosophy that a lot of the best things in my life have come. They say every cloud has a silver lining, and without that silver lining, we would have nothing to look forward to. I know that it’s no fun losing someone that you love, and it takes time to get over, but you have to do your best to keep a positive outlook on life. If you’re not positive, then you will be blind to opportunities that come your way.”

Boothe, who grew up in Telluride, is survived by his mother, Tina, and his siblings, Bobby Boothe and SaSaDi Odunsi. A memorial service was held on Saturday, Jan. 6, in San Diego; Boothe’s family plans to hold a memorial service in Telluride sometime next month.