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Extended family members are gathering around two young children who lost their parents in a car crash Friday night. A 9-year-old family friend also died in the collision.
It happened on Highway 89 in Box Elder County just before 7 p.m. on Friday. In an instant, a fun-filled night of dancing at the Festival of Trees turned to tragedy.
A pickup truck drifted into oncoming traffic and collided with the Jeep that Curtis and Tami Andersen, from Nibley, 9-year-old Hannah Roach, and the Andersen's two children were riding in. The driver of the pickup was 18-years-old. Troopers say he may have fallen asleep.
Curtis and Tami Andersen, both 28 years old, and Hannah Roach died. The Andersen's two children, 5-year-old Kylee and 1-year-old Jaxson, survived. Extended family members are at their side during this horrible tragedy. The children's uncle, Brady Lynnthurston, said, "Everybody's just trying to be strong for the kids."
Lynnthurston said of Curtis and Tami Andersen, "They were great parents, loved their kids to death."
Jaxon was pretty much unscathed in the wreck. Lynnthurston explained Kylee's injuries: "She has a broken right femur, broken left ankle. She's in a full body cast," he said. Lynnthurston tells us she's being strong, and she is expected to make a full recovery. But everyone is preparing for what surely will be a long road ahead.
The family friend, 9-year-old Hannah Roach was also killed. "Hannah loved running around with Kylee with anything she did, and Hannah wanted to come down and watch her at her dance recital," Lynnthurston said.
Two families now struggle to deal with the deaths.
"What can you say to them?" Lynnthurston said. "It's horrible. They understand that it is hurting every one of us."
And extended family is gathering to help those still here.
"They (Curtis and Tami) worked really well together and did what was best for their kids, and that was always their number one goal, and that's what their goal would be now," Lynnthurston said.
"That's how we find a little bit of solace in the whole thing and just continue to do what they would want to take care of their kids, make sure they're happy and that their futures are bright," he added.
The family asks that instead of flowers, donations be made for the children at the USU Community Credit Union under Andersen Children's Fund. The credit union phone: (435) 753-4080, (800) 248-6361, or Web site www.usuccu.org.
Hannah's father told KSL Saturday night that he's already seeing generosity; someone has already offered to donate a casket.
E-mail: corton@ksl.com
