Zane Rupert’s father remembers his son as ‘funny, loving, caring person’
Josh Rupert describes his late son, Zane, as a compassionate person who was always looking to make friends and make people laugh.
“He was a goofy, funny, loving, caring person. That was him all the way around,” Rupert said Monday, Jan. 29. “Every time he walked into a room, the first thing he wanted to do was make someone smile.”
Zane, 12, and his grandfather, David Faulx, 65, died in an October 2023 crash after Faulx struck a tractor-trailer on Winfield Road in Winfield Township. Documents show a blood sample taken from Faulx at the scene disclosed his blood alcohol content was .246, or more than three times the legal limit in Pennsylvania.
Rupert reacted to receiving the news about Faulx in Thursday post on Facebook, describing Faulx’s decision to drive while intoxicated as “thoughtless, careless, negligent, selfish and irresponsible.”
Shortly before the crash, Rupert said he and Zane talked about Christmas while on a drive.
“I asked what he wanted ... He looked at me and said, ‘I just want clothes and shoes, I have everything I need.’ That made me proud,” he said.
Rupert said he and his partner, Dan Squire, were proud of who Zane was becoming.
Rupert said he had a close relationship with his son and would tell Zane to share whatever was on his mind during their talks, which often took place in the car.
“We definitely had some deep conversations. I took the parent role first and the friend role second, and (Zane) said, ‘You play both sides well,’” he said.
The two enjoyed camping together or hiking on the weekends. Zane also was an avid gamer.
Zane had hit his stride in football as a member of the Saxonburg Spartans football team, Rupert said.
“The past year, he really improved his game,” he said.
Moving forward, Rupert said he plans to continue pursuing the truth about the events that led to Zane’s death. He said he has been in “fight or flight” mode since the crash.
“I’ve gotten different stories. I’m fighting to figure out what happened that night,” he said. “I want to figure out the rest of the story ... I’m not going to give up until justice is served.”
Friends and family have rallied around Rupert in various ways, even making T-shirts in honor of Zane and holding spaghetti dinners.
“The community has pulled together for us, and I will be grateful for that the rest of my life,” Rupert said.
He said the grieving process has been complicated.
“The hardest part is driving home, because I know I’m coming home to an empty house,” he said. “Zane cared about everybody, and I hope moving forward, people have that same attitude.”
