Adam Scott Henrie

Adam Scott Henrie, age 40, born January 24th, 1980, son of M. Scott and Annette Henrie, passed away December 7th, 2020, from complications created by COVID-19. Adam was always a special person, beginning when he survived as the first newborn preemie at 24 weeks gestation at the University of Utah Medical Center. Adam’s miracle did come at a price to his physical and mental capabilities, leaving him blind and mentally disabled. Adam was also one of a few newborns that was featured in a news story on television about premature babies in 1980. At the age of four, Adam started school at the Utah School for the Deaf and Blind in Ogden, Utah. Not long after, Adam was transferred to Topham’s Tiny Tots residential center in Orem, Utah, where Adam would learn some communication skills and day to day self-care needs. While at Tiny Tots, Adam attended the Dan Peterson handicap school. Adam completed school at 22 years of age. This was also the maximum age to reside at Tiny Tots and Adam moved into a private care center. It was at this private care center that Adam suffered some severe burns to his lower extremities. He was rushed to the University of Utah burn unit where he would stay for almost a month and learn a new found love of Johnny Cash music. He loved music, especially the Lion King sound track and his “teedoh” (Adams’s term for keyboard). Adam left the U of U for rehabilitation and went to the Utah State Developmental Center. It was here that Adam found his true home. After completing his rehabilitation, he was accepted as a resident where he lived for the past 13 years. It was the great care and love from the staff of USDC that gave him purpose and a new life with many new friends. Adam was able to work, picking up bolts and putting them in a jar or watering plants. He took walks around the campus and had a resemblance of a normal life. Adam loved finger food and especially loved chocolate. Holidays were the time Adam could stock pile his chocolate gifts. He was a true fighter beating the odds time and time again. He will always be remembered for his rocking, love for music, and flapping his arms when he was happy.

Adam is survived by his parents, Scott and Annette of Carbonville, Utah; two sisters, Mandy (Marshall) Draper of Clinton, Utah, and Kelley (Derek) Bradley of Carbonville, Utah. One brother, Derek (Savanna) Henrie of Joplin, Missouri. Adam has many loving nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, cousins and his grandparents, Don and Judy Kelley, who will dearly miss him.

Preceded in death by his grandparents, John and Beth Henrie and his uncle Darwin Henrie.

A memorial and celebration of his life will be announced in the near future. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to an organization who works with the disabled.