LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Todd Nicholas Ghent, 20, of Clearlake, Calif., died Nov. 12, 2015, as a result of injuries sustained in a motor vehicle accident.
He was born April 28, 1995 in St. Helena, Calif., the son of Todd Ghent (Wendy) and Leah Faught (David). Todd grew up in Springfield, Ore., and moved back to Clearlake, Calif., in 2011.
Todd was a lover! He never had a hard time saying I love you. He said it every night before bed, every time he said goodbye and many times in between. If he cared about you, you knew it. He had a way of making all of us feel special. Todd’s mom, Leah, remembers all of his snuggling and hugs. Todd was the best son she could have asked for.
He was always trying to help people. Whether it was giving money to a blind couple in need, helping an elderly person with their groceries or to cross the street, comforting someone that he could tell needed it, he always wanted to help and be there for people.
Todd "Little Todd" LOVED to fish with his dad "Big Todd." He was his dad’s best fishing buddy. Todd was happy to compete with his dad and proud show off his catch. Some of their happiest times were spent outdoors. They shared a love of animals and had many adventures trying to feed them in the woods while camping. His dad will miss his wild and daring free spirit. Big Todd was proud of the man his son was becoming.
Todd was such a daredevil. There was hardly anything that he would not do if he were challenged; he was always hurting himself! Whether it was some crazy dangerous bike stunt, doing flips out of swings, or jumping into the ocean (or any body of water) in spite of freezing weather.
As we all remember, Todd was such a prankster! His love of pranks was something he shared with his other mom, Wendy. There were many, many pranks over the years, but one that stands out is when Todd wanted to get his dad back for something. Wendy told him to wait for a few days so that his dad wouldn’t suspect anything. A few days later, they came up with a plan to dump a bucket of cold water on his dad’s head from the roof. Todd climbed the ladder and stayed on the roof (giggling) for hours waiting to dump it on him. One thing Todd did not lack was determination. When he finally got to dump it ... he missed.
He was his Grandma Colleen's pride and joy. I don’t think there is a grandma out there that wrote about, bragged about or took as many pictures of their grandchild as she did.
Leah also remembers the amazing big brother he was. He would always make the time he spent with his brothers special. Whether it was rescuing one of their toys from the roof or surprising them with giant lollipops while they were sleeping, he made their happiness a priority. His brother Dillinger (Booby) looked up to him so much, which made Todd feel so special. Booby would always try to dress and act like his big brother. Todd even taught him how to flip his bangs and he taught his little brother, Jameson, how to make a super hero bracelet out of a coffee holder.
Todd loved to play with and teach his brothers and sisters. He enjoyed playing basketball with them in the front yard or at the park, riding skateboards and riding bikes. He especially loved riding bikes at the BMX track. We will never forget the first Gold Cup award he won at the Governors Cup BMX series in 2010. He was so excited! When his brothers and sisters would compete, he was their biggest supporter. He was particularly proud of how tough his sister Colleen was and of all of her BMX achievements.
He protected his family. His sister Colleen remembers riding down the hill in a wagon with her big brother (one of their favorite things to do). Todd would always make her ride in front of him to keep her safe.
His sister Lexus remembers dressing Todd up in a dresses, makeup and nail polish. They also ran around town dressed in costumes just to give people something to talk about. He was funny and didn’t care too much about what other people thought, as long as he was having fun.
His brother Aaidan looked up to him because he was friendly and because it was so easy for him to make friends. He admired Todd's great sense of humor and how he loved to make others laugh.
Todd was always challenging himself. He was excited to learn how to play the guitar and was proud to share video posts of his progress with family and friends.
Todd had recently decided that he needed to get serious about making changes in his life. In the weeks prior to his passing, Todd set goals and achieved them. Todd got his official ID and began working at Jack in The Box. He was excited to receive his first-ever official paycheck and had been making plans for a fishing trip with his dad, Big Todd.
Todd was proud of himself. His family was proud of him too. He was a young man, with a bright future ahead of him, who was taken too soon. Todd’s missteps were not what defined him; his character was. He will be mourned and missed by many.
Todd is survived by his parents and his 10 siblings: Lexus, Colleen, Alaura, Christopher, Jeremiah, Aaidan, Andrew, Dillinger, Jackson and Jameson. He also leaves his maternal grandmother, Donna; and his paternal great-grandmother, Pat. He will also be missed by his aunts Kelly, Sam, Jen, Christine and Jennifer; several uncles and cousins; his girlfriend, Becca Long; and his many close friends.
He was preceded in death by his maternal grandfather, Jesse; paternal grandmother, Colleen; and great-grandfather, Andrew.
Memorial services will be announced at a later date, a memorial fund has been established at https://www.gofundme.com/8harvqfg .
