Wheeling Park Student Devin Sovinsky Remembered as Dedicated, Outgoing Teen

Emma Delk

TRIADELPHIA -- Devin Sovinsky showed a dedication to restoring his prized 2006 Ford Mustang that family and friends said he carried through his whole life. No matter what he did, they said, Devin was doing it to the fullest, whether it was learning to play golf for a friend, staying late after bowling practice or making sure his girlfriend had an amazing night at prom.

Devin threw himself into life headfirst and always stuck with it, no matter what.

"He saw it through," said his mother Bobbi Porter. "He was not the type of kid to just be sitting in his room all day."

Those family members and friends now mourn his passing. Devin died early Tuesday in a one-car crash on Bethany Pike that injured the two others in the car. The crash remains under investigation, and Wheeling Police said alcohol was believed to have been a factor.

Devin's dedication to life not only showed in his activities but also in the relationships he built, as anyone who came into contact with him, whether for an hour, a day or a month, felt the positivity he brought to everything. His outgoing and friendly nature, along with his willingness to try any activity, allowed him to touch many in his 17 years.

Devin's dream was to restore his grandfather Randy Sutton's antique truck. It was his grandfather who started and grew Devin's love of cars. As a child, Devin would beg his parents to visit his "pap" at Middle Creek Garage, and as a teenager, he still held that same excitement to visit the garage.

"He was always working on something over there, especially that truck," said Sutton. "It got me in trouble a couple of times when he snuck in, but they were like a second family there for him."

Devin's love for cars connected him to the "Rust to Riches" truck club, an Ohio Valley-based group that shows their cars and trucks at events all over the country. Seth Kucera, the founder of the group, explained that Devin helped "Rust to Riches" grow from 10 members to more than 6,000 across the nation. Devin was able to achieve this by getting the car community involved with the group, and he even had plans to start a separate car-focused section of the club.

Devin's impact on the group was immeasurable, with Kucera starting the TikTok trend "Revvin' for Devin" in his memory. Members of "Rust to Riches" and beyond have already begun posting videos revving their engines in honor of Devin. The group is also dedicating a car show to him that will take place on August 12th in the Cabela's parking lot at The Highlands.

"Devin didn't care whether he had the nicest car or truck, no matter what, he was always at our shows and thrilled to be there," said Kucera. "From the beginning, he was always telling us this club could go somewhere, and it did."

While Devin would have loved to be at the garage all day, even when he doing things he didn't like as much, such as homework, Devin still did not slack off.

"He always amazed me because as much as he talked about not liking school, he was always getting A's by the end of the school year," said Devin's father Kevin Sovinsky.

Devin was highly involved both in and out of school, playing alto and tenor saxophone in the Wheeling Park High School band and was also a member of the school's bowling team.

"There would be some days he would go straight from school, to work and then to a bowling practice," said Devin's girlfriend, Hannah Wydra.

Even if he wasn't the best player on the field or at the lanes, Devin was known by coaches to give his all. Wheeling Park teacher John Chacalos, Devin's football coach at Warwood Middle School and bowling coach at WPHS, said Devin always stayed after practice to get more frames in. Chacalos recalled that Devin's biggest obstacle in bowling was not skill or mental toughness but instead not being able to wear a hat at matches.

"He was having these much better scores in practices compared to games, and it was a big mystery until we figured it was because his hair was getting in his face," said Chacalos with a chuckle. "We had to tell him he couldn't practice with a hat on anymore because he couldn't wear it at matches."

Devin would also dedicate himself to learning new activities just to spend more time with his friends. When one of Devin's friends was looking for a golf buddy, Devin was the first to volunteer, even if he had no idea how to play himself.

"He had never played a single round in his entire life, but he just said, 'let's give it a shot,'" said Devin's friend, Aaron Reid. "But he said he would pick me up and pay for my rounds as long as I taught him how to play."

Reid is engaged to Devin's cousin, Averie Martin, and said that the two grew very close to each other while slowly making their way through the beginner's courses at Wheeling Park. While Devin was reluctant to get into the game, saying to Reid it was an "old man's game," Devin spent much of the summer practicing with him.

"When we would play, it was the funniest thing ever," Reid added. "When he started getting pretty good, we would go head to head a lot because we're both competitive."

If Devin was not fixing a car or out on the course, the next place to look for him would be at Hannah's house. The couple loved attending concerts together, with the two planning to go to a Morgan Wallen concert for Hannah's birthday. What Hannah loved about Devin was that he always showed up for her, from touring colleges with her, coming to her volleyball games or just driving around together in his Mustang listening to country music.

"He wasn't too into the dances, but he still wanted to go to prom and homecoming with me," she said. "He was even calling me and checking to make sure his suit was matching my dress, getting me the flowers and everything."

Despite his packed schedule, Devin also worked with his mother as a dietary aide at the Good Shepherd Nursing Home. Porter recalled letting him get away with "probably a little too much" when she was his supervisor, but all their coworkers loved to joke around with him.

"I would rather have been his friend than his parent sometimes," admitted Sovinsky. "But he was always making everyone around him laugh."

His mother recalls learning as much from Devin as she taught him as a parent.

"He was wise beyond his years," she added. "Honestly, some days he was smarter than me."

In addition to his parents, Devin is survived by his loving girlfriend, Hannah Wydra; siblings, Autumn, Austin and Aliza Porter and Paige Sovinsky; grandparents Gloria Sovinsky and Randy Sutton, John and Patricia Porter and Chuck and Becky Sovinsky; and several aunts and uncles.

Arrangements are pending at Kepner Funeral Home, 166 Kruger St., Wheeling, WV 26003.

Memorial contributions may be made to Kepner Funeral Home or to the GoFundMe to assist the family with funeral expenses or to Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), 511 E. John Carpenter Freeway, Irving, TX 75062.

Fundraising events and a candlelight vigil will be held in the future. A spaghetti dinner already is scheduled for 2-10 p.m. Sept. 9 at Carin's Pub, 2341 Chapline St. in Wheeling.