Local car community rallies to remember one of their own

By Al Beeber - Lethbridge Herald on April 5, 2022.

Herald photo by Al Beeber Dozens of cars parked near Subaru of Lethbridge Saturday night before a tribute cruise in honour of Grayson Mutter who died suddenly recently, leaving behind a wife and young child.

LETHBRIDGE HERALDabeeber@lethbridgeherald.com

He died suddenly recently at the age of 29, leaving a wife and young child without a husband and father.
Grayson Mutter, a popular and well-known staff member at Subaru of Lethbridge, also left behind friends he may not have known he even had.
And they showed up in force on Saturday night to pay tribute to a man who left this earth far too young. Members of the city’s car fraternity filled a parking area beside Subaru of Lethbridge Saturday night and did a cruise in Mutter’s honour.
Organized by Subaru of Lethbridge technician Danny Kaddoura, the tribute drew a few hundred people and their vehicles of all makes, models and ages. From Subarus to Corvettes and even a Studebaker station wagon, virtually every imaginable vehicle hit the streets in honour of Mutter.
People who knew Mutter – a graduate of Catholic Central High School – talked about his love for import cars and his willingness to go an extra mile to help customers.
At least one former employer showed up to honour Mutter as staff from other dealerships including Lethbridge Toyota where he previously worked came to pay their respects to one of their own.
Decals, with an upside down car and the words “Grayson 1992-2022” were sold at a table.
Despite dark foreboding skies, a cool wind and spitting rain, people mingled, shared memories and looked and admired each other’s vehicles before starting their engines en mass for the tribute drive that consisted of a loop down the Crowsnest Trail to Scenic Drive, up 43rd St. and back to Subaru where drivers and their passengers did a turnaround in honour of their fallen car fan before many headed to the Costco parking lot to reminisce, share stories and talk about the community’s loss.
As the cruise began, fittingly the skies began to clear and the remnants of sunset appeared as nightfall descended upon the cruisers.
Kaddoura said the plan was to get some cars together in memory of Grayson.
“I know this is something he’s really into, is performance cars. A lot of people here he’s helped out with their cars. Just anything to do with cars, he loved it. So I wanted to put something together. Simple, just cruise around the city, nothing too fancy but just in memory of him,” said Kaddoura.
“I worked with him for about five years,” he added.
“He was always super helpful. Anything you need, all these little side projects people needed. Anything to do with my cars, I’m a performance car guy, too. I’d send him on little car quests on the side to help me find parts and stuff and he was always really helpful and happy to do it.
“We knew each other even before he worked here,” said Kaddoura.
“I actually used to work on his car at the Subaru dealership. He had a turbocharged Legacy that he brought in all the time so I knew him ever since the old building (across 43 St.),” Kaddoura said.
“It was so shocking. He was super energetic. No one saw it coming,” he added.
The cruise was organized with the help of Alyssa Borix, who set up a Facebook event. By Saturday, 65 people had said they were interested and 63 indicated they were coming, she said, but those numbers were far surpassed.
“We wanted to make sure that it was very much open to all,” said Borix.
A post on the Lethbridge Sports Car Club Facebook page paid tribute to Mutter saying “he loved cars. He loved to race them, he loved to build them, he loved to collect them and most of all he loved the community that came with it.”
Another post called Grayson “a very caring person, a fantastic student and a great manager. His energy, caring spirit and love for those around him will always be remembered. Grayson was always ready to help others who were going through tough times.”
A gofundme page for Mutter’s family set up by Lethbridge Toyota’s Tim Schipper has raised more than $70,000 so far.

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