- Derrick Ashley, 16, was killed in an ATV crash near 24th and Locust in North Omaha.
- Lt. Dan Martin, who knew Derrick through Operation NETS since 2021, remembered him as kind, hardworking, respectful, and destined for success.
- Derrick dreamed of becoming a pilot and got to fly a plane for the first time while is Operation NETS
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
A mentor is remembering 16-year-old Derrick Ashley, killed in an ATV crash near 24th and Locust, as a young man full of dreams, determination, and a heart for others.
Lieutenant Dan Martin had known Derrick since 2021 through Operation NETS — Neighborhood Engagement Through Sports — a program that builds lasting relationships between first responders and young people in the neighborhood.
"Every day, uh, he'd come when we had Operation NETS, it was once a week. He'd come with a smile, his mom would drop him off. She'd pick them back up. He loved it. He loved working hard, he loved working with the team. And he was always very grateful, always very respectful, always very kind," Martin said.
Martin says Derrick may have been one of the smallest in the group, but he made up for it with heart, determination, and a work ethic that stood out.
When Derrick shared his dream of becoming a pilot, Martin wanted to help make it a reality. He connected him with a nonprofit that gives aspiring pilots the chance to take flight.
"He was able to fly. It was the 1st time he was in a plane, and then he was able to actually fly the plane that day," Martin said.
Martin says that flight was one step toward the future Derrick had been working so hard to build.
"He had so many dreams and he was almost innocent, just, um, he knew what he wanted to do with life, and I think he was working his way towards that. Again, he faced challenges like everybody else and he was a 16 year old teenager. But with my personal relationship and my perspective of Derek is he was a genuine kid who cared a lot about other people, and you could show, he showed his empathy. I truly believed Derek was gonna be a success story. And, uh, it's just unfortunate that it was cut short," Martin said.
A GoFundMe has been set up for Derrick's family. Details can be found at kmtv.com.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
