Unbelievably tragic:
For years, John and Sadie Esh lifted up their Mennonite community in central Kentucky with mellifluous gospel singing, and their congregation of 20 families had likewise embraced them when their son Johnny died and again when their house burned down. On Thursday evening, Mr. Esh preached to the congregation, the Marrowbone Christian Brotherhood in Burkesville, telling them that “we are overcomers.”
Less than 12 hours later, the community was shocked and saddened to learn that Mr. Esh, 64; his wife, 62; and eight other family members and friends had been killed in a pre-dawn van accident on Interstate 65 near Munfordville, Ky.
Kentucky State Trooper Charles Swiney said that a tractor-trailer had inexplicably jumped the grass median and crashed head-on into the 15-seat Dodge van carrying the Esh party.
Ten of the 12 people in the van were killed, including the Eshes; four of their 12 children; a daughter-in-law; the fiancée of their youngest daughter; a recently adopted 4-month old grandchild; and a family friend from another Mennonite community in Franklin, Ky., according to Pastor Leroy Kauffman. Trooper Swiney said the truck driver, from Alabama, was killed as well.
NYT