On the anniversary of her son’s death, Elaine Hall has only messages of love and gratitude for the people around her.
It’s been 10 years since the murder of Dylan Redwine at the hands of his father, Mark Redwine, who was found guilty Oct. 8, 2021, and sentenced to 48 years in prison.
Despite all that Hall has been through over the last decade, she wants everyone to know she is doing OK, even though November is a tough month for her.
“November was always a hard month. It’s bittersweet because my other son, Cory, and my stepson were born in November. My mom was born in November. But at the same time, you know, it’s also the month of Dylan's demise, which breaks my heart. I wish I could be in a Green Day song, and you could wake me up when November ends.”
Hall also wants everyone to know Dylan’s older brother, Cory, is also doing great.
“He’s working for Department of Human Services in Cañon City,” she said. “He’s actually got a pretty pivotal role for advocating for children. So it’s certainly something he wanted to do after what happened to his brother. He married his high school sweetheart from Bayfield. And he’s got two kids, 4 and 8. So yeah, they’re doing well.”
Imagining where Dylan would be today at the age of 23, Hall says she and Cory have differing opinions.
“We talk about that all the time. Corey insists he’d be in college, but I think he would have graduated from college by now. Maybe (majoring) in something crazy like physics or engineering or sports science. Something along those lines,” she said.
“It’s hard to try and think about what your child will be doing 10 years later. He was 13 when he left us. At 13, there’s so many years that kind of define who you are as a man, as a person. You can only look from their past character; he certainly was a stand-up kid. So, I’m sure he would be a stand-up man as well.”
Hall divorced Mark Redwine in 2008, and was given primary custody of their two sons, Dylan and Cory. While staying with his father in Vallecito during Thanksgiving for a court-ordered visit, Dylan made plans to visit a friend on Nov. 19, 2012, but he never showed up. He was reported missing by his father later that day. He remained missing until June 27, 2013, when his remains were found in a wooded area north of Vallecito Lake. Redwine was arrested and charged with Dylan’s murder on July 22, 2017.
Though it took several years for her ex-husband to be tried and found guilty of Dylan’s murder, Hall is simply grateful for all the work that went into bringing justice for her son.
“I am pleased with the outcome, and maybe we wouldn’t have had the correct outcome if we would have pushed it. So, I tried to remain patient and diligent and always make sure people heard me,” she said. “I’m just pleased with how the (La Plata County) Sheriff’s Office and how the District Attorney’s Office and everybody, all of the players, did everything. I was really impressed, and there was so much I didn’t know.”
Hall’s gratitude also extends to those residents in the La Plata County area who did everything they could to find Dylan when he went missing, as well as support her and her family during the investigation and trial.
“The community is a huge part of why we found Dylan. I wasn’t the only voice. The community had a voice, and they were loud, and it was strong. I was really impressed and in such awe. Most of these people didn’t even know my son or me. For them to step up and just be so bold and so tenacious, it was very inspiring, and I can never, ever show my gratitude enough. There were so many people who rallied around us and around what needed to happen. I mean, still to this day, anytime I come up in the area, people are like, ‘You can stay here.’ A lot of these people I didn’t even know when I lived there. They came together for us, for Dylan. It’s just such an amazing group and community.”
Hall then adds that despite what she has lost, she has also gained friendships.
“I’ve got a lot of lifelong friends because of what happened,” she said. “So Dylan, at least, took care of his mom in that department.”
Hall is also not worried about any appeals Mark Redwine and his attorneys have filed or will file in the future.
“I try not to worry about things I cannot control,” she said. “I learned that in the year after this all occurred. If there is an appeal, then we’ll just let the process play again, as it did the first time. And I’m confident that we’ll end up with the same result.”
As for Hall’s plans for the anniversary of Dylan’s passing, she thinks a quiet drive might be in order.
“Generally, my husband and I go up into the mountains. I will probably turn my radio on and listen to all my songs that remind me of Dylan. For me, it’s just kind of a peaceful, quiet time. I talk to him so much, when I’m just driving. It's like he’s sitting right beside me.”
Hall wants friends and acquaintances to remember Dylan was like during his short but happy life.
“I just remember how wonderful of a kid he was,” she said. “He was so spunky. He was so vibrant. So full of energy and life and really cared deeply about people. He didn’t want people to be stressed. I mean, he really was a peacemaker. I miss that so much about him.”
molsen@durangoherald.com
