Friends and first responders in suburban Tacoma, Washington, came together Tuesday night to remember a young couple and their 8-month-old son tragically killed when a slab of concrete fell from a highway overpass.
Josh and Vanessa Ellis, both in their 20s, were youth pastors at EastPointe Foursquare Church in Bonney Lake. Josh was known for his sense of humor and musical talents, while Vanessa had an outgoing, over-sized personality, said church Pastor James Ludlow.
While their lives were cut short, Ludlow told his congregation to take comfort that the family is together in the afterlife. "The story doesn’t end when they bounced up to be with Jesus," he said.
The family was on the road Monday when a chunk of a concrete barrier fell from an overpass at State Route 410 in Bonney Lake, where crews were expanding a sidewalk. The slab landed on the cab of their pickup truck, killing the couple and their baby.
The overpass was reopened Tuesday as the state Department of Labor and Industries reviewed the safety records of some of the contractors involved, NBC affiliate KING5 reported. The vigil for the family also drew some of the rescue workers who spent hours working to remove debris from the roadway, the station reported.
IN-DEPTH
- Couple Killed With Baby in Freak Washington Overpass Accident Were Youth Pastors
- Concrete Falls Off Washington Bridge, Killing Family of Three
