Parents thank community after daughters’ deaths

Two Lewisville parents said they’re overwhelmed by the community’s support after their two little girls died in a car crash earlier this month.

Lilac bushes were donated to the Brandon and Stormi Willcoxon – one for each of their daughters who died too soon.

The bushes will now grow in front of the home the family says they’ll never leave.

“They were everything to us,” said Brandon. “They were our whole reason for going to work and coming home.”

“Just the whole reason for life in general,” said Stormi.

The girls died in a car crash along Interstate 15 not two weeks ago. Two weeks before that, the Willcoxons moved to Lewisville from Pocatello so 10-year-old Sky and 8-year-old Harly could have a big yard and their own bedrooms.

Now the rooms stay locked.

“After the accident, we were like, ‘Why stay here?'” said Brandon.

Then they realized that even though two cherished family members were suddenly gone, their family was growing. Flowers, cards and donations for the funeral poured in from all over Idaho.

“It’s impossible to say thank you to all the people who didn’t tell us who they were, and we just want to make sure everybody knows how grateful we are,” said Stormi.

“We’re going to be here forever,” said Brandon. “We just couldn’t believe how great a community we live in.”

Glenda White teaches at Midway Elementary, where Sky and Harly went. She said the PTO’s fundraising response was tremendous.

“They just get jars and they give them to all the students, send out emails, send home notes,” said White. “(The students) learned how important it is to take care of others, and that we live in an amazing place.”

The girls used to go to Jefferson Elementary when they lived in Pocatello, and that school also donated money to the family. And the Willcoxons are planning a special trip to Preston just to say thanks to one woman who helped them pay for their daughters’ funeral.

“Spend as much time with your family as you can because when they’re gone, you can’t bring that back,” said Brandon.

The girls’ obituaries can be found at http://bit.ly/118uJsO and http://bit.ly/11q6wNy.