Austin, Texas -- In a tragic collision between a school bus carrying young students and a concrete truck, two lives were claimed, unleashing a cascade of grief and a daunting recovery for the survivors. The accident, which involved a Hays Consolidated Independent School District bus from Tom Green Elementary School, left a pre-K teacher and others facing a long and arduous journey to recuperation, according to KVUE.
Deborah Serna, a devoted pre-K teacher described by her mother Diane Rakestraw as someone who always went the extra mile for her kids, was on board the bus when it was suddenly struck. The impact was disastrous enough to roll the vehicle over, resulting in the death of five-year-old Ulises Rodriguez Montoya and University of Texas student Ryan Wallace, who was driving behind the bus. "I got down on my knees and started praying that she wasn't going to die, because when I saw the severity on YouTube of everything, I called everyone I knew to have them start praying for her," Rakestraw said, in a statement obtained by KVUE.
Rakestraw was given a respite when her daughter survived, despite suffering fractures in her lower back and multiple bruises. The incident leaves Serna with a lengthy rehabilitation process ahead, both physically and financially. Rakestraw expressed her concerns about her daughter's well-being, adding, "They have four children and you know in today's society, you have to have two incomes. So with her not working, it's going to affect them financially with her bills," as per KVUE. Meanwhile, community support for Serna has manifested through a GoFundMe initiative set up to aid with her medical expenses.
Efforts to thoroughly investigate the crash have been underway, with the Texas DPS's State Crash Reconstruction Team working on scene details. Officials said the concrete truck appeared to have veered into the bus's lane on SH 21 near Caldwell Road. Still, it remains unclear if the driver will face any charges. The aftermath saw the evaluation of 53 people, with some in critical condition, adding poignant urgency to a road long-known for its dangers.
