The Grandfather Who Gave Tyler More Than His Name
The Grandfather Who Gave Tyler More Than His Name
There are now two signs in Midtown Tulsa for Tyler.
One stands at 56th and Yale. The newest one is at 52nd and Riverside, set among the trees in the part of town I run through every week. It reads:
UP WITH TREES
TYLER GLENN BEATTY
ALWAYS LOVED FOREVER MISSED
I ran past it this morning. I will run past it again on Sunday. I will keep running past it for the rest of my life, a loop from my front door, down Riverside, to my son, and back home again.
Tyler and I ran together for years. We completed our first half marathon together when he was 12. We trained side by side, pushed each other, and shared miles that mean even more to me now than they did then.
Today, on Father's Day, I want to tell you about the man who helped make all of that possible.
How did Darrell Beatty become Tyler’s father figure?
I was 14 years old when Tyler Glenn Beatty was born.
I was raising a child while still being one myself, and I was never doing that alone. My parents, Darrell Glenn Beatty and Yolonda Beatty, wrapped themselves around both of us from the very beginning. They made room for Tyler in every way that mattered, and they made room for me too.
My dad became Tyler’s father figure through a thousand ordinary acts of love. He showed up at school events, ball games, breakfast tables, and hard conversations. He gave Tyler a steady example of what a good man looks like in everyday life.
Tyler also carried his name.
Tyler Glenn Beatty.
That middle name, Glenn, came from my dad, Darrell Glenn Beatty. It became a quiet thread between them, one that still feels meaningful to me now.
There is a poem, by an unknown author, that has circulated in adoption communities for years. I think about it differently these days. I think about it as a description of the kind of love my dad gave Tyler.
"Heredity or environment, which are you a product of?
Neither, my darling, neither.
Just two different kinds of love."
My dad did not give Tyler life, but he helped shape the life Tyler lived.
Who was Tyler Glenn Beatty?
Tyler was my son, my best friend, and one of the great loves of my life.
He loved simple things, coffee, good food, time together, and being outside. He earned a degree in sustainable agriculture because he understood that what we care for has a way of giving back. He understood roots, growth, and the long game of tending something that will one day shelter someone else.
He loved trees. That made perfect sense for him.
Tyler died on October 23, 2019. Losing a child changes everything. Grief does not ask permission before it moves in, and it does not leave on command.
It does, however, change shape over time.
That is part of what led us to start the Tyler Glenn Beatty Rainbow Relief Fund.
READ MORE ABOUT RAINBOW RELIEF FUND HERE: https://lrahomes.com/rainbowrf
What did the Rainbow Relief Fund do for Father’s Day this year?
The Rainbow Relief Fund exists to bring hope, healing, and practical support to people walking through loss, addiction, and hard seasons of life.
Earlier this year, the fund made a $1,000 donation to Up With Trees, a Tulsa nonprofit that has been planting and caring for trees across our city for decades. In honor of Father’s Day, June 19, 2026, I surprised my dad with a new commemorative sign for Tyler at 52nd and Riverside.
We stood there together and saw Tyler’s name in the ground.
Tyler Glenn Beatty. Always Loved Forever Missed.
That moment will stay with me. My dad’s hands were on the sign. My heart was in my throat. The sky was heavy over Midtown Tulsa, and the whole thing felt sacred in a quiet, steady way.
Why does Up With Trees feel like the right place to honor Tyler?
Up With Trees feels like the right home for Tyler’s memory because it reflects so much of what he cared about.
Tyler studied sustainable agriculture. He understood the connection between healthy soil, healthy growth, and healthy communities. He paid attention to the way care, consistency, and stewardship shape the world over time.
A commemorative tree and sign do more than mark a loss. They create something living. They give people a place to remember, reflect, and return.
If you have ever wanted to honor someone you love in a way that will last, Up With Trees offers that opportunity here in Tulsa. You can learn more at https://upwithtrees.org.
What do I want people to remember on Father’s Day?
Father’s Day can carry joy, grief, gratitude, and ache, sometimes all at once.
Today I am thinking about the men who show up and keep showing up. Grandfathers, stepfathers, uncles, coaches, neighbors, friends who become family over time. The ones who offer steadiness, presence, and love in ways that shape a life.
That is who my dad was for Tyler.
Darrell Glenn Beatty helped raise a boy who carried his name, knew he was loved, and grew up with a real example of faithfulness in front of him. That matters to me more than I can fully say.
If you have someone like that in your life, tell them. Let them hear it while they can.
How can people support the Tyler Glenn Beatty Rainbow Relief Fund?
The Tyler Glenn Beatty Rainbow Relief Fund is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Every dollar raised goes toward hope, healing, and practical support for people in our community who are walking through addiction and loss.
Right now, we are preparing for our sixth annual run to remember.
Here are a few ways to support the work:
Donate to the Rainbow Relief Fund non-profit through PayPal
Follow our Facebook page for updates and events
Run with us in October. (Email me if you'd like to be placed on our annoucements)
Share Tyler’s story with someone who may need it
This fund exists because love keeps moving. It finds new work to do. It keeps showing up.
3-2-1 Takeaway
3 Things to Remember
A father figure can shape a life through steady, everyday presence.
Tyler’s legacy continues through the Rainbow Relief Fund and through places in Tulsa that now carry his name.
Up With Trees offers a meaningful way to honor someone you love with something living and lasting.
2 Questions Worth Asking
Who showed up for you in a way that shaped your life?
How do you want to honor the people you carry with you?
1 Thing to Do Next
Tell the person who has been that steady presence in your life what they mean to you, and if Tyler’s story moved you, consider supporting the Rainbow Relief Fund or visiting https://upwithtrees.org.
