Crandall community members rally around injured student, family
CRANDALL, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) - A weekend car crash has shattered a family but it's bringing together the small town of Crandall. A terrible accident has left a beloved high school student and varsity cheerleader on life support.
There's still questions about how the rollover accident happened on Saturday evening.
But no one's thinking about that now.
Hearts are going out to 16-year-old Peyton Jones who was driving and who, according to her mother, is not expected to survive her injuries.
"She was the funny one, she always had a joke or a funny sense of humor," said Makiala Brown.
Brown reflected on the seven years Jones spent training at her cheer academy in Kemp.
"She's a great kid, coach a great athlete she's a great friend of the girls in this gym," Brown said.
Brown is among those devastated over the news that the 16-year-old girl is on life support after the vehicle she was driving rolled over Saturday evening on a rural Kaufman County road.
"It is heartbreaking," Brown said. "She's such a special kid and she's so special to this program and our coaches and our teammates."
A prayer vigil was held Sunday night for the Crandall High School senior who was on her way to graduate early.
"There were so many people that came out to support her and we were really hoping a miracle would happen and we would have her back."
The vigil is among the ways people in this town of 3,800 are rallying around Peyton's family.
A local restaurant is helping them financially by donating proceeds from selling tamales.
"I've lived in Crandall for a while and that's just what this community is about," said Quayde Ingram with Fired Up BBQ. "It's a small town. When anyone's in need we come together and we take care of each other."
It will not be easy for students or the varsity cheerleaders on Friday when Crandall has a football game scheduled that Peyton would have been on the sidelines of.
