Dustin David Vavrosky, aka Dirtybird, returned home to our father in heaven on Thursday, January 22, 2026, with his family at his hospital bedside. Dustin was born on November 24, 1977, Thanksgiving afternoon, in Butte, Montana to Dave and Linda Vavrosky. In 1983, at the age of 5, he ventured to Utah with his family, which he remained there for the rest of his life. Dustin's most recent dream was to move to Florida, where his youngest brother resides, but his declining health kept him from achieving that dream.

Dustin was easily labeled the kindest, most generous person and so easy to love by every single member of his family, and every friend and acquaintance he ever had. He loved to be a smartass. We think he was actually born to be one. He was full of jokes, and some not-so-funny pranks he pulled over the years. He loved chiming in to conversations with something funny, and his nieces and nephews thought he was hilarious. He had the memory of a genius when it came to movie lines, songs, actors and actresses. All we ever had to do if we were stumped was ask Dustin.

Dustin's greatest legacy was how hard he loved. He might as well have been a dad because he loved his nieces and nephews like they were his own. He supported their sports, their graduations and every birthday party. He even loved interacting with all their friends, some of them even referring to him as Uncle Dustin. He loved his great niece, Skylar who is about to turn 2. He adored her, and she adored him. She just recently asked her mama "Go to hospital" and followed up several minutes later with "See Dustin".

Dustin was an athlete in his younger years. He was so handsome and had thicker hair than anyone we knew.

At 13, he battled and conquered a cancerous brain tumor, chemotherapy and radiation, and later at 18, a stroke. He graduated from West Jordan High School in 1996, and worked his first job at Ream's Grocery store during that time. He was married for a short time in his twenties, which ended in divorce. From then on he remained the cool single uncle. He worked at Merit Medical as an Assembler of medical syringes for over 20 years. He was a loyal employee and made great friends there. He later graduated from the Utah College of Massage Therapy. Anyone that knew Dustin, knew that he gave the best massages. He spent his free time loving the Utah Jazz, the Tampa Bay Rays, the Utah Utes and the Denver Broncos. He had a love for guns and patriotism and his Chevy Colorado truck. Every weekend you could find him chatting on the phone with his cousin Josh, also known as his best friend. In his last days at the hospital, his eyes lit up to hearing two people's voices on the phone... Josh and his brother Ryan. He also spent pretty much every weekend battling his mom and sister playing a marble game called Aggravation, with his dad always being his partner.

Dustin and his dad had to always rub it in that they led the scoreboard between both houses.

In the last few years of his life, he was diagnosed with Radiation Induced Liver Disease. This finally came to a head in September 2025, where this disease led him to needing a liver transplant. After three long grueling months and over 13 emergency room visits that included multiple days spent in the hospital, he was told he qualified for a transplant. He got the call just a short day and a half later that he was getting his liver. He was ecstatic, but so focused on the 1.6% of people that did not survive a transplant at IMC Hospital in Murray, UT.

He survived his surgery and his liver worked great until things went south for him. He spent his remaining five weeks of his life battling an infection that ended up taking him from us.

Dustin loved his life and everyone in it, but wished so much for a chance to just feel healthy again. He battled health issues that would have taken most of us down. He was the true definition of a WARRIOR.

Rest in peace Dust. Our hearts ache to have you back, but we know you are with our Father In Heaven and our angels that greeted you with the widest open arms. We will love you until we take our last breaths and meet you again!

Dustin leaves behind his grieving parents, Dave and Linda Vavrosky of West Jordan, UT; sister Holly James of Herriman, UT; brother Ryan Vavrosky (Jenna) of Cape Coral, Florida; nephews Jaxon James, Kade Vavrosky, and Tyce Vavrosky; nieces Madyson Vance (Kaden) and Isabella James; great niece Skylar Vance; and many loving aunts, uncles and cousins. He was proceeded in death by both maternal and paternal grandparents and paternal uncle.

A funeral service will be held on Saturday, January 31, 2026, at 11:30 am at The Azalea Event Venue, 11277 S. Kestrel Rise Road, Suite B, South Jordan, UT. A Celebration of Life to follow the service until 1:30 pm. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to a memorial fund set up for Dustin, as his wishes were to continue donating Minky Couture blankets to patients at IMC Hospital every December. Memorial venmo: @Dustin-Vavrosky

A final request on behalf of Dustin....please make the life-saving decision to become an Organ Donor!