LOUISVILLE, Ky (WDRB) — A grieving family is searching for answers after a 27-year-old was found dead Thursday night in a ditch along Vaughn Mill Road in Highview.

A passerby discovered Adam Troutman’s body, sparking a heartbreaking chain of events for his loved ones.

His father, Jason Troutman, said Adam had been walking along the road Thursday night around 11 p.m. when he was struck. When Adam didn’t return home, the family began calling his phone but instead of their son answering, a deputy coroner picked up.

Jason recalls freezing in that moment, fearing the worst. The family’s fears were confirmed — Adam was gone.

The loss is especially painful given the hopes Adam had written down for his future. In a journal entry from a couple of years ago, he outlined what he called a task list for life — describing himself as kind, respectful, trustworthy, and determined to become a loving husband and father. He wrote that he loved himself, believed in God, and sought peace of mind.

His father said Adam simply wanted what many people want — a home, a safe neighborhood, and a family.

"He wanted to make money and he wanted to have a wife and children and a nice home," Jason said. "And you know, he was always like, 'dad, I look up to you. You're my you know, you're my role model. I want to be like you.' I've got journals upon journals, and I'm glad I kept them all."

Now, instead of planning for the future, the Troutman family is coping with grief.

Jason said they are leaning on each other, hugging often, crying, and trying to reassure one another that things will somehow be okay.

Compounding their pain are unanswered questions surrounding both Adam’s death and what happened afterward. Because he did not have identification with him, an autopsy was performed to confirm his identity. Adam had previously told his father he wanted his brain tested for CTE, a disease linked to repeated head concussions.

"And he always said that if I die before you, I want my brain tested for CTE," Jason said. "And I said, 'well, Adam, there's a real good chance that I'm probably not going to die before you, but, you know, I'll, you know, pass the word along.' Well, unfortunately, he passed away before me. So, unfortunately, I guess the way things work, if you come in unidentified, they go ahead and do a full blown autopsy."

The CTE testing can only be conducted during an autopsy, and a specialist traveled from Boston to perform it. But when the specialist arrived, the family said they were told there was no brain available to test, leaving them confused.

The family is also searching for answers about the crash itself. They believe someone must know something whether it’s a driver who noticed damage to a vehicle or someone who heard about the incident.

For now, the family is left with grief, unanswered questions, and a plea to the public: if anyone has information about what happened along Vaughn Mill Road Thursday night, they are urging them to come forward.

His father is offering a $10,000 reward for information that leads to an arrest, and a GoFundMe started to help with expenses related to the funeral. 

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