Elkhart family who lost man to hiking accident putting up billboards in his memory

ELKHART (AP) — Relatives of an Elkhart man who died in a hiking accident in Vermont are spreading his message of kindness on billboards around his hometown.

The Elkhart Truth reports that about 150 members of Matthew Dibley’s family pooled their money together to lease the billboards after the 30-year-old died in July.

The signs will feature a photo of Dibley on a hike, along with a quote he is known for saying: “Be nice to each other out there, people.” He often said these words at the end of videos he made as head brewer for a kombucha maker he helped launch, Aqua ViTea.

The first billboard went up Friday, and more are expected to go up in February and March, including one in Union, Michigan.