CRANDALL, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) — A weekend car accident shattered a family, but it brings the small town of Crandall together. A horrific accident left a beloved high school student and college cheerleader on life support.
There are still questions about how the rollover accident happened on Saturday night.
But nobody thinks about that now.
Hearts go out to 16-year-old Peyton Jones, who was driving and who her mother says is not expected to survive her injuries.
“She was the one who was funny, she always had a joke or a funny humor,” Makiala Brown said.
Brown reflected on the seven years Jones spent training at his joy academy in Kemp.
“She’s a great kid, coach to a great athlete, she’s a great friend to the girls in this gym,” Brown said.
Brown is among those devastated by the news that the 16-year-old is on life support after the vehicle she was driving rolled down a rural road in Kaufman County on Saturday night.
“It’s heartbreaking,” Brown said. “She’s such a special kid and she’s so special to this program, our coaches and our teammates.”
A prayer vigil was held Sunday evening for the Crandall High School senior who was about to graduate early.
“There were so many people who came out to support her and we were really hoping that a miracle would happen and we would get her back.”
The wake is one of the ways residents of this town of 3,800 people rally around Peyton’s family.
A local restaurant helps them financially by donating the proceeds from the sale of tamales.
“I lived in Crandall for a while and that’s exactly what this community is,” said Quayde Ingram with Fired Up BBQ. “It’s a small town. When someone is in need, we come together and take care of each other.”
It won’t be easy for college students or cheerleaders on Friday when Crandall scheduled a football game that Peyton would have been on the sidelines.
J.D. Miles is an award-winning reporter who has covered North Texas for CBS 11 since 1996.
