January 27, 2023 |
This week’s horrific crash claimed the lives of five young friends from Arkansas who had much to contribute to our world, and who enjoyed their final week together playing in praying in Wyoming. Their community is devastated, and still trying to digest the tragedy.
The Little Rock, Arkansas, suburb of Sherwood, located in Pulaski County, was their home. The students were killed on the evening of January 22nd, when a driver, allegedly high on meth, drove the wrong way on Interstate 80. A loaded semi-truck, attempting to avoid a head-on collision with the suspect’s vehicle, drove into oncoming traffic and directly into the Ford F-150 occupied by the five youths.
Suzy Prime and Ava Luplow were both seniors at Sylvan Hills High School. Salomon Correa, Magdalene “Maggie” Franco, and Andrea Prime were recent graduates. All five were returning home after visiting a Bible college in Jackson Hole.
Local news stations have interviewed the victims’ family and friends. KARK 4 reporter, Samantha Boyd said the community is leaning on their religious faith to deal with the unbearable grief. Lydia Vandervate was friends with the students. She said, while she will miss her friends, the tragedy has not shaken her faith in God.
Ruth Peters, and her daughter-in-law, Betsy, own the Humble Crumb Bakery, in Sherwood. The bakers told KARK 4’s Samantha Boyd how Ava Luplow and Suzy Prime have worked at the shop since they were 15 and 16 years old. Maggie Franco was an employee in the past. Franco’s mother and sister still work at the bakery. Betsy and Ruth said the girls’ deaths act as a reminder to stay strong in their faith.
Speaking to THV11’s Brooke Buckner, Betsy Peters said she attended the same bible study classes as Suzy and Ava. She said she is anxious about how their absence will affect the community.
Ruth Peters echoed her daughter-in-law’s concerns. She said the town will not be the same. Ruth said she takes solace in her faith in the Lord.
While the five students were at Jackson Hole Bible College they posted videos on social media showing the fun they were having. A compilation assembled from short videos showed the young people admiring the beautiful Wyoming scenery, playing in the snow, skiing, ice skating, playing volleyball, and eating.
Co-owner of the Humble Crumb, Betsy Peters, said both Ava Luplow and Suzy Prime had the same bible verse on their social media pages. She said the scripture, Romans 8:18, is especially poignant.
According to an article from the Cowboy State Daily, the father of the two Prime sisters said he forgives the driver who caused his daughters’ deaths. The loss of the five young people will have a tremendous impact on the community of nearly 33,000 people.
