Friends of two of three triplets killed in a crash on Highway 63 over the weekend held a candlelight vigil for the victims in Rocky Mountain House on Thursday evening.
The 19-year-old sisters, Zara and Bridget Chambers, grew up in the west-central town.
“They just were the best people you’ll ever meet,” said Kyler Robinson who organized the vigil. “They were so nice and so bright. Their smiles lit up any room. Their laughter was contagious.
“They were just the best people so it really, really impacted us.”
READ MORE: 2 triplet sisters killed in Highway 63 crash south of Fort McMurray
Watch below: The community of Rocky Mountain House is mourning the loss of two triplet sisters after the teens were killed while driving on Highway 63 south of Fort McMurray.
The crash happened at around 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, about 95 kilometres south of Fort McMurray.
Police said a car carrying the teens was heading south on Highway 63 when it drove into the back of a flatbed tow truck, which was stopped at the time.
One of the Cambers sisters was pronounced dead at the scene and the other was taken to an Edmonton-area hospital by helicopter with life-threatening injuries. She was later pronounced dead in hospital.
READ MORE: 1 person dead following serious collision south of Fort McMurray
The Chambers were both students and athletes at Fort McMurray’s Keyano College, where they played for the Huskies soccer team.
“They always cared about how you were and they always wanted to make sure they were there for you,” said Brooklyn Hall, a teammate of the Chambers.
“They made sure they played as a team and that they were there as a whole, not as one.”
Hundreds came out to Co-op Football Field, where Zara and Bridget played soccer dozens of times. The sisters’ old jerseys and photos were on display as people held candles and said prayers for the sisters.
After the vigil, the attendees went inside a neighbouring high school to watch a slideshow of Bridget and Zara that included photos of them playing. The room where the slideshow viewing was held was packed and people could be heard crying and occasionally laughing as the pictures flashed across the screen.
“Special girls deserve to be remembered in a special way,” said Bailey Eklund, a family friend. “We need to mourn, but we’re trying to make this as positive as we can and have everyone come together. Because it’s better than being alone.”
According to the RCMP, the highway was covered in ice and slush when Zara and Bridget’s vehicle collided with the back of a stopped flatbed tow truck.