Posted By: KLKN Newsroom
8@klkntv.com
A fund has been set up for the families of the victims in Wednesday's deadly crash.
Four people were killed in the accident: 59-year-old Marla Wentworth of Red Cloud, 21-year-old Travis Witte, 18-year-old Dustin Tesdahl, and 10-year-old Caroline Thallman, of Blue Hill.
On Wednesday evening, a bus driven by Wentworth collided with a semitrailer truck driven by Witte at a gravel intersection just south of Blue Hill. The semi was loaded with hay bales. The bus carried students from Blue Hill. Tesdahl and Thallman were students. Five other children were injured and taken to area hospitals.
A memorial fund has been set up for the families at South Central State Bank, P.O. Box 157, Blue Hill, NE 68930.
One of the students was flown to Children's Hospital in Omaha following the accident. Taylor Alber remains in fair condition. Her family issued the following statement:
"Our family would like to thank everyone for their thoughts and prayers. We've been overwhelmed by the outpouring of support from our friends, our community and even those who don't know us.
Taylor is feeling a little better each day. She is healing from a lacerated liver, a slightly deflated lung and a badly broken arm. We expect her to make a full recovery.
We share our deepest sympathy with all of the families affected by this tragedy, especially those who have experienced loss. Our hearts and prayers are with them at this time.
We cannot say enough to thank those who were first on the scene - the firefighters, EMTs and community members who rushed to help. We also thank the doctors and nurses in the Emergency Department at Mary Lanning Healthcare, the helicopter crew with Good Samaritan Transport Services and the doctors and nurses at Children's Hospital & Medical Center.
We are humbled by the compassion shown for Taylor over the past several days. We have much to be thankful for."
-Marty & Jessica Alber, parents of Taylor
