Friends Remember 18-year-old Girl Who Died at Lake Powell

SPANISH FORK, Utah – When you go to a place like Glade’s Drive Inn, you know almost right away the food is going to be good.

It’s why this mom-and-pop restaurant has been in business for more than 50 years in Spanish Fork.

It’s also what makes it the perfect spot to let others know about Jayla Hiatt.

“She’s been my best friend since first grade,” said Sam Johnson.

Johnson knew Hiatt about as well as anyone.

They worked together at Glade’s Drive Inn.

Even still, Johnson can’t believe Hiatt is gone.

“It’s just really hard knowing that she’s not here anymore, like it doesn’t even seem real,” said Johnson.

Same for Lexi Pack.

Pack also works at Glade’s Drive Inn and, when she heard the news, she thought there was no way she’d never hear her friends laugh again.

“I thought that everybody was pranking me,” said Pack. “I felt like she was going to pop up out of the back of the truck and say hi.”

Hiatt was only 18 years old when she died at Lake Powell this past Friday.

She was in a boat that hit a rock and crashed onto shore.

Hiatt was thrown from the boat.

Court documents show 21-year-old Triston Harrison was driving the boat while intoxicated when he hit that rock.

Hiatt had just graduated from high school last month.

“She was just friends with everybody she met. She was special,” said Johnson.

It’s about as helpless as these teens have ever felt.

“We needed to do something more for Jayla, especially since she’s one of our girls,” said Pack.

So, they got an idea and everyone at Glade’s Drive Inn agreed to do it.

All of their tips, every single penny, will go to Hiatt’s family.

“It’s just nice that all the girls here are helping out,” said Johnson.

There’s even a donation jar where the generosity of complete strangers only made workers cry again.

“Maybe a little too much,” said Pack with tears in her eyes.

At least, for this weekend, no one here cared just how busy it was.