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Mom decks Roy home in Halloween decorations in memory of son

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ROY, Utah -- Spooky decorations cover a house in Roy but the ghosts and ghouls work to send a message much stronger than "Happy Halloween."

"I do this for my son Jayden, to help light the way for others for the holiday season," said Crystal Conover.

In 2011, on his favorite holiday, 13-year-old Jayden Rathbone was struck by a car while trick-or-treating in Uintah.

"I have a lot of sorrow and pain from losing my son every day," Conover said.

Instead of hating the holiday her son was hit, Conover said, she takes a different approach by all out decorating her home.

"He would want us to be happy and keep celebrating further," Conover said.

Among the spider webs is a memorial to Conover’s son. She said celebrating the holiday in this way is not only what her son would have wanted but it helps bring awareness of safety on Halloween night.

"It's never easy but it brings up a lot of conversation pieces," Conover said.

The goal is to remind drivers to be safe on the roads while kids are out trick-or-treating.

"If we can save one life it definitely helps us cope with the sorrow," Conover said.

Conover said when kids come trick-or-treat at her house on Halloween night they'll get a piece of candy along with a glow stick.

“The motto behind the glow sticks is, ‘Help Jayden light the way,’ because where there's lighting there's less darkness for someone to be hit by a car," Conover said.

Police say it's not only a reminder of what could happen but what does happen.

“Drivers need to be aware. They have to know there will be kids out on the street. They not only need to obey traffic laws but take extra precaution,” said Det. Jason Vanderwarf with Roy City Police Department.

Conover said she plans on decorating her home for years to come.

"I cannot dwell on the loss of my son, all I can do is make sure that he lives on," she said.