While groups of friends like posing pictures together, for these three girls a critical error before a picture would have a terrible result.
Back in 2011, a sad event that left a community in Utah in a state of shock resulted in the deaths of three young girls. At the Covered Bridge Canyon crossing, Essa Ricker, Kelsea Webster, and Savannah Webster, Essa’s younger sister, made the decision to wave at the engineers of a Utah Railway train that was passing by.
During this time, they were unaware that a train belonging to Union Pacific was traveling in the opposite way. Later, Utah County Sheriff Sgt. Spencer Cannon said that the two trains were so near to one another, the distance separating them just three to four feet.
Sadly, the girls felt the approaching train. Essa and Kelsea died right away after the collision. Savannah, who had severe brain damage, was sent to a nearby hospital for operation. Eventually, though, doctors told her parents she would not survive her injuries, and life support was switched off.
At the time of the tragedy, Savannah and Kelsea’s mother Jayna Webster posted her heartache on her blog. “We spoke with the doctors today, and they told us that Savvy’s brain injuries were too serious,” she wrote in something she had written. Savannah won not recover any more even if they have done all imaginable. She will remain on life support until the end of the day; but, it is time to bid farewell, temporarily to an angel who walked among us.”
The words “Standing right by a train ahaha this is awesome!!!” were something that Savannah posted on Facebook only a few moments before the tragic disaster occurred. The kids, who were huge fans of trains, took a selfie on the rails, completely oblivious to the rapidly approaching train that was coming from the opposite direction.
Taken only seconds before the disaster, the selfie caught the brilliant yellow glare of the oncoming train’s headlights. Tragically, the girls missed the moment for hearing the train’s horn blasting. In the future, John Anderson, who was the conductor of the train, stated that “They were in their own little world.”
Engineer Michael Anderson tried everything he could to notify the three friends—blasting the train’s horn in an effort to get their attention—but it had no effect.
When asked about the terrifying event, train conductor John Anderson recalled it as follows: “We stared in horror as we came closer.” During the nearly twelve seconds that we were able to observe them, the train continued down its path until they disappeared from our line of sight.
At the stop of the train, John made a hasty approach to the track, where he found the first girl who was not feeling her pulse. After coming to the conclusion that the second child had also passed away, he hurried to Savannah. She had sustained a significant amount of injuries, yet she was still alive.
“I told her everything would be okay, and she relaxed a little,” the conductor said in an effort to calm the teenager. “I know everything will be okay.” “I hoped she would make it, and for some reason I really thought she would.”