APPLETON (NBC 26) — The family of an 18-year-old killed when a car crashed through the window of a Fox Cities tire shop gathered over the weekend to say goodbye — remembering a young man who loved cars, music and the open water.
Cayden Christiano was killed on June 29 when a car crashed through the glass at Matthew's Tire in Grand Chute, injuring two others. His father traveled from Florida, his sister from Connecticut, and his grandparents came together to lay him to rest.
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Tommy Dileo, Cayden's father, said his son had a deep passion for cars from an early age.
"He knew every single car that drove down the road, cars were his passion, he loved cars ever since he was a little boy," Dileo said.
Cayden was also a music lover. His father said he especially loved family trips on cruise ships.
"Whenever we'd be back at the room relaxing he would be on the balcony, he loved looking at the water," Dileo said.
After his mother died in 2022, Cayden, who lived in Florida, began spending summers visiting his grandparents in Appleton. This fall, he would have been a senior in high school.
He was at Matthew's Tire for a routine oil change with his grandfather, Vincent Will, when the crash happened.
"Yeah I was there, I was sitting right next to him when it happened, I saw it out of the corner of my eye," Will said.
Will described his grandson simply.
"He was a beautiful kid," Will said.
Cayden's grandmother, Michele Cames, reflected on the grief surrounding the loss coming a couple years after the family lost Cayden's mother.
"We have two sides here, we lost one, she took one. Everyone involved is grieving in one way or another," Cames said.
Cayden's sister, Kaylee Dileo, said she hopes his memory inspires others.
"I think that what he would want from us and the community is to keep smiling. He loved to smile, he loved to listen to music. So I hope people stop and appreciate life a little more. Hug a little tighter, listen to music and smile while you're doing so," Kaylee said.
The family hopes the tragedy reminds drivers to be more careful. They are also thankful for the community's outpouring of support. A GoFundMe has been set up to help bring Cayden home to Connecticut, where the family hopes to lay him to rest alongside his mother.
As of July 6, authorities have not released the names of the other people involved in the crash, and charges have not been filed.
