Tomé Teen Dies, Valencia County Mourns High School Senior

Dylan Thomas Collins, 18, a resident of Tomé and a member of the Valencia High School senior class of 2026, passed away on December 17, 2025. His family has scheduled services at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Tomé beginning with a visitation at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, December 30, followed by a Rosary at 6 p.m. A final visitation will take place at 10 30 a.m. on Wednesday, December 31, with a Funeral Mass to be celebrated at 11 30 a.m. Interment will follow at Tomé Cemetery.

Collins was an active member of his parish and a familiar presence among his classmates. He is preceded in death by his grandmother Michelle McMullen and his great grandmother Enriqueta Rosales. He is survived by his parents Clint R. Collins and Luz Angelica Collins, his siblings Nicolas A. Collins and Natalia E. Collins, grandparents Lalo and Luz Medrano, and many uncles, aunts and cousins.

Those who knew him remember an infectious smile and a love of riding his motorcycle and spending time with friends. His status as a 2026 senior means his classmates are confronting the loss during a formative year that typically includes graduation planning and end of school activities. The combination of parish ties and school connections has brought multiple parts of the community together as they prepare to mourn and honor his life.

The upcoming services provide an opportunity for friends, classmates and neighbors to pay respects and offer support to the family. Local schools and community groups that work with youth may see an immediate impact as students and staff process the death of a peer. The parish will serve as a focal point for remembrance and for practical assistance to the family and to those closest to Collins.

As Tomé and the wider Valencia County community prepare for the memorial services, residents are encouraged to respect the family s privacy while offering condolences and support through attendance at the scheduled visitations and Mass.