Symes was born in 1978 in Idaho and was raised New Mexico. He majored in English at Brigham Young University.
From the description of Tombstones of the people of Utah Valley, 2001. (Brigham Young University). WorldCat record id: 73244827
One of Symes' major hobbies was modifying cars. He did not want to immerse himself in the car racing culture because he felt some elements of the culture were at odds with his religion as well as his lifestyle as a student at Brigham Young University.
From the description of Pedal to the medal : group dynamics of car enthusiasts, 2002. (Brigham Young University). WorldCat record id: 76896232