It has been nearly four years since Tallassee’s Alec Tyndall lost his life due to complications from an automobile accident. He had just turned 18 years old.
“He was driving to a friend’s house when said he looked away from the road for two seconds and he lost control and ran off the road resulting in him flipping his truck,” said Randy Sewell, who is Alec’s father.
Alec had just graduated from Tallassee High School weeks before his life was cut short. Sewell said his son was full of life and even though he’s gone, he’s now inspiring others to live their lives to the fullest.
After losing his son, Sewell began painting rocks with some of Alec’s favorite characters, such as Minions, Pokémon and SpongeBob SquarePants. Some rocks carry an inspiring message along with the words “Rocks for Alec” as a way to honor his son and keep the young man’s memory alive.
Now with a following of over 4,000 members, in an effort to stop texting while driving, Sewell has deemed Alec’s birthday, July 30, as Paint a Rock for Alec Day. It’s easy to participate.
“If you find a rock please post a photo with the location where you found it.” Sewell said. “Then place it in a new spot for someone else to find.”
When a rock is found, it should be posted on the group’s Facebook page and hidden in a different location for another lucky rock hunter to find.
“Keep the rocks and his memory on the move,” Sewell said. “If you find a rock you would like to keep, please, if you can, paint another to put out in its place.”
Members of the Rocks for Alec group put a lot of time and effort into each individual rock, making each one unique, and Sewell asks everyone who participates in Rocks for Alec to respect each creation.
“Remember it is someone else's artwork,” he said.
Sewell began the Rocks for Alec Facebook page in 2017. Since then, Rocks for Alec have turned up across the globe in Canada, England, France, Mexico, in Italy at the Colosseum in Rome and at the Leaning Tower of Pisa, the Philippines, Southeast Asia, Haiti, Jamaica and more. Here in the United States, Rocks for Alec have turned up across the nation in, Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Indiana, Illinois, Louisiana, Mississippi, Ohio, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia — just to name a few.
On the Rocks for Alec Facebook page, Sewell also tells others about his son and explains the meaning behind these special rocks.
“He loved music, all things military, Auburn football, his video games, Call of Duty and Halo mostly,” Sewell wrote. “Pokémon was always one of his favorite things, although he made fun of me for playing PokémonGo. Alec was one that would rather see someone else smile and do whatever he could to make that happen. We started this group because I promised my son the day he passed away that no one would ever forget who Alec was as long as I was alive, and I meant every word. I love you, Alec. You will always be in the hearts of many.”
This message has touched many. People often post photos on the Facebook of their children holding a prized Rock for Alec. Alec’s rocks have been hidden and found across the state. Members of the rock group also leave inspirationally painted rocks at Alec’s headstone in Rose Hill Cemetery in Tallassee where he is buried.
Alec may be gone from this world but there is no doubt his life and legacy continues to live on every day as more and more people paint and hide Rock’s for Alec in his memory.
“Keep the rocks and his memory on the move,” Sewell said.