87-year-olds among 13 killed in Texas church bus crash: 'My heart just dropped'
— -- A close-knit Texas community and church congregation is in mourning after 13 people, between the ages of 61 and 87, were killed in an accident Wednesday while on a church bus, officials said.
"When I saw his name on the news my heart just dropped," Glenn Timmermann said of his friend, 87-year-old Harold Boyd Barber.
The bus was carrying senior adult congregants from the First Baptist Church in New Braunfels, Texas, who were on their way home from a three-day retreat at the Alto Frio Baptist Encampment, the church said.
The Texas Department of Public Safety said a pickup truck driver, 20-year-old Jack Dillon Young, veered into the opposite lane of U.S. highway 83, crashing into the church bus head-on with 14 people on board.
Only one passenger on the bus -- 64-year-old Rose Mary Harris -- survived, authorities said. She was hospitalized in critical condition.
The bus driver and the remaining 12 passengers died.
Eight of the victims were in their 80s, officials said. The oldest were Barber and 87-year-old Mildred Goodlett Rosamond, officials said.
Timmermann told ABC News today that he last saw his friend Barber two weeks ago at Bible study, saying he was in good spirits.
"He was one of the most devout Christians I think I had ever known," Timmermann said.
When Timmermann saw a news report on the crash, his first thought was to hope Barber wasn't on the bus.
"Then when I saw his name on the news my heart just dropped," he said. "It just came as such a shock."
The youngest of the 13 victims was 61-year-old Rhonda Barlow Allen, the Department of Public Safety said.
The other victims were identified as: Dorothy Fern Vulliet, 84; Martha Holcomb Walker; 84; Addie Maurine Schmeltekopf, 84; Avis Scholl Banks, 83; Margaret Robinson Barber, 82; Howard Bryan Allen, 81; Sue Wynn Tysdal, 76; Donna Elizabeth Hawkins, 69; Cristie Clare Moore, 68; and Murray William Barrett, 67.
"They were a part of our church family," Pastor Brad McLean said at a news conference today. "They will be deeply missed."
He continued: "I remember the smiles. I remember the hugs. I remember the couples coming in together and you see them together all the time. I remember so many walking by and saying, 'Pastor, we're praying for you.' You live life with folks and so you just share so many small interactions that add up to a relationship that impacts you and strengthens your heart."
"The hard reality of -- we won't see those faces walking in the door, and being able to greet them, and shakes hands, and hug them," he added. "Some out of the group who served in our kitchen on Wednesday nights. I think it's the everyday interaction and relationship that has been built, those are the things that really, really will affect us."
McLean said he is praying for Harris, the surviving and injured passenger, and said he hopes to see her smiling face back in the choir soon.
McLean today also encouraged people to pray for the family of the injured pickup truck driver, saying that the man's family is hurting "as they work through a very difficult time, as well."
Young was hospitalized in stable condition, officials said.
"They have a concern for their family member they're hurting for the loss of life that occurred yesterday," McLean said. "And so as believers in Christ we need to show them grace and pray for them, as well, because of what they are suffering."
McLean also today thanked the community, including businesses and other churches, for reaching out to provide food, counseling and other support.
"I'm just terribly grateful for the outpouring of love that our community has shown during this difficult time," McLean said. "Our priority as a church ... is to care for our families 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."
The National Transportation Safety Board is involved in the investigation.
ABC News' Phillip Mena and Gina Sunseri contributed to this report.
