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SALT LAKE CITY — Two Sandy brothers injured in a crash that resulted in the deaths of their parents were met with supporting cheers Friday as they returned to Utah after spending a week in a Denver hospital.
Kyle Wight, 16, and Karsen Wight, 13, were greeted by their hockey family who was waiting for them as they stepped off the plane.
"It's amazing. It's overwhelming, just the love and support from the community, especially the hockey community," said Bryce Mannek one of the coaches of the junior hockey club West Coast Renegades as he looked out over the large group of teens wearing their team hockey sweaters and those holding banners waiting for the Wights at the baggage claim of the Salt Lake City International Airport.
On Nov. 10, Bob and Dawn Wight, ages 57 and 46, were driving to a weekend hockey tournament in Denver with Kyle and Karsen. They were traveling on U.S. 287 about 13 miles south of Laramie, Wyoming, when investigators say they were hit head-on by a commercial truck towing a trailer that drifted into oncoming traffic. The truck driver, Charles Gibson, 58, of Midwest City, Oklahoma, was not injured.
The Wyoming Highway Patrol said driver fatigue was being investigated as the contributing factor in the crash, and prosecutors charged Gibson with vehicular homicide.
Kyle suffered a broken arm and broken leg. Karsen suffered a ruptured spleen and a possible concussion, according to friends.
The Wights were staples in the Utah hockey community. Kyle plays for Brighton High School; Karsen plays for the West Coast Rangers. Both had played with several teams in Salt Lake City and Boise over the years.
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"It's pretty amazing. I never really expected too many people to be here. I'm mostly like an isolated person, so I'm like, 'Oh, OK!' It's actually pretty nice to see the community come together to support me and my brother," Kyle said.
"Very appreciated. Very, very nice. Nice to see everyone here, including my team. They're all friends," added Karsen. "I only imaged like my teammates here. I saw all the signs and everyone here and stuff — tear in my eye."
Kyle went down the line, giving everyone waiting a hug, while Karsen embraced and talked with his friends.
The boys will be living with Brenda Pond and her family, who has a son on Karsen's hockey team. She said Friday that Kyle and Karsen are doing as well as could be expected.
"They're the most incredible boys I've ever met. I was brought to them for a reason. We are here. The love and support is overwhelming. I'm going to take good care of them. I love them more than anything and they're happy to be coming home with me," Pond said while wiping away tears.
"They're doing great. They're doing really well. Physically they're healing, and emotionally they're doing really well, too."
Pond said the outpouring of support across the nation has been overwhelming. Earlier in the week, Trevor Lewis of the Los Angeles Kings, who was born in Salt Lake City, visited the boys in the hospital and tweeted a picture of him meeting them.
Since then, Pond said the boys also received visits while in the hospital from retired Colorado Avalanche star Pierre Turgeon and former University of Utah football star Luther Ellis, who also played for the Denver Broncos and Detroit Lions before retiring.
Many of Kyle and Karsen's hockey coaches were also at the airport to welcome them home. Mannek said the boys are still weeks to months away from fully getting back on the ice and being able to play again. But they're sure the boys will be present for all of their games.
"We're going to take it one day at a time. We're going to get them better. We're going to get them back on the ice," he said. "They want to be in Utah. They want to play hockey here."
The boys will remain in Utah through at least the end of the year. Friends say the boys want to finish their school terms and hockey seasons in Utah and possibly the school year. At that point, those who deal with custody issues will re-evaluate what's best for the boys and their situation, according to friends. Kyle and Karsen have relatives in Arizona.
During the Bengals' hockey game Thursday night, the players paid tribute to Bob and Dawn Wight with a moment of silence. A video of the team releasing balloons outside was also posted on their Facebook page.
