Sixty-five members of First Baptist Church in New Braunfels were returning from a three-day retreat at an camp in Leakey. Most were in their own cars but 14 people rode together in a church mini-bus. Thirteen of those people were killed when their bus was struck head-on by a pickup truck.
The tight-knit congregation of 600 is trying to come to grips with the tragic loss of its members. Senior Pastor Brad McLean says they’re saddened and heartbroken.
"Our priority as a church in these days is to care for our failures who've lost a loved one in this accident. We want to take care of them. We want to help them through these difficult days. There will be services being planned and prepared and as a church family that's what we will step in and help them do during this difficult time," McLean says.
He says some have been members for many years.
"I remember the smiles, um, I remember the hugs, you know, I, I remember the couples coming in together and you see them together all the time," McLean says.
McLean says the priority of the church in these days is to care for the families who’ve lost a loved one in this accident.
At the church on Thursday, parishioners and community members gathered to grieve and remember those friends and family that had died. Grief counselors were on hand.
Sharon Hall says she knew more than half the people who were lost in the crash. She remembers her friend Jo Barber, in particular, who was one of the first women Sharon met when she moved to New Braunfels.
"She always had a smile on her face. She welcomed me with open arms, helped me meet other people, was always happy, always loving, always everywhere which is exactly what Jesus teaches us to do," Hall says.
Glenn Timmerman isn’t a member of First Baptist Church. He’s here to remember is friend, Harold Barber, who Glenn had bible study with every Wednesday.
"He's a devout Christian, but he was also a fun-loving person. He always had a smile on his face and everything, so like I say, it’s still a shock. It’s going to take a long time to get over," Timmerman says.
Jamie Anderson is property manager for National Church Residences. They manage Eden Heights Apartments in New Braunfels which is a senior living community. Today he’s driving a bus back and forth to the church for his residents for grief counseling. Anderson says they’re having a hard time coping as some of them were friends with those who died. He says the feeling on the bus was somber.
"It was tense. I played some music to try to get their minds to redirect. But it was pretty stiff air," Anderson says.
State Senator Donna Campbell of New Braunfels says it’s a tragedy.
"It's a tragedy and we are saddened by that and New Braunfels is a great large town with a small town bonding and the whole town just grieves the loss of the people," Campbell says. In remembrance of those who died, a Comal County judge has ordered flags to be lowered to half staff until Sunday at sunset.
