OGDEN, Utah — The family of 3-year-old Jax Phillips, who died due to critical injuries sustained in a car crash, is emphasizing the need for drivers to take it easy during winter conditions.
Early Wednesday morning, Jax and her mother were in a car headed northbound on Interstate 15 when they were involved in a pileup with nine vehicles. Jax was critically injured and later died at a hospital.
Read - 3-year-old dies following multi-vehicle crash in Ogden
“Today is surreal,” said Darin Tea, Jax’s Grandfather. “Just something you can’t imagine, just your worst nightmare come true.”
Tea heard about the accident when he got a call from the hospital saying that Jax and her mother were there following the crash.
Jax was born with a rare condition called hydrocephalus as well as cerebral palsy.
“She wasn’t given a whole lot of chance to do anything, but that little kid kept surprising us, she just had an infectious smile,” said Tea. “She had those chubby little cheeks and this cheesy smile that just melted you.”
As a result of the crash and the circumstances that followed, the family wants to remind drivers of the consequences that can take place if others don’t responsibly drive during adverse weather conditions.
“For heaven sakes please people just slow down, especially in bad weather, I think this whole tragedy, it is a tragedy, it’s preventable,” said Tea. “(It) could have been avoided if people were going slow and taking their time.”
If you’d like to contribute to the family, click here for their Gofundme campaign.
