Fort Collins family killed in car crash in Arizona

FORT COLLINS, Colo. (KDVR) — A Fort Collins family was killed in a car crash in Arizona while on a spring break trip to visit their son in college. Now the Heritage Christian Academy community is mourning the loss of the family, as the mom was a teacher and a scoreboard keeper for basketball, and the daughter was the captain of the basketball team. 17-year-old Sophia Case and her mom Sarah Case died in the crash that involved multiple vehicles believed to be caused by winter weather conditions. Sam Case, the dad, died a few days later in the hospital from his injuries. “Sam, Sarah and Sophia were driving down to the Phoenix area where Montgomery (their son) was attending GCU. Keaton (the oldest son) was going to fly out the next day. They were just going to spend some time doing some of their favorite things in Arizona for spring break," said Joe Packard, Sophia's basketball coach. Packard met with Keaton and Montgomery in Flagstaff after learning of the tragedy. “I honestly just fell down where I was I just fell down and you just think this can’t be possible," said Packard. "I spent some time with Sam in the hospital in the remaining days Sam was alive.” Packard said the Case family were incredibly generous, Christ-loving people who wanted to help others. "The generosity that started with Sam and Sarah and trickled into their kids is unbelievable," he said. "Truly nothing short from a gift of God.” He said Sophia died a day before her 18th birthday. She also made the all-league basketball team. “I didn’t get to tell her that; I was waiting to tell the girls at the end-of-season banquet. She would have been so proud," Packard said. He showed FOX31 the inside of his classroom where Sophia's teammates made the space a place of comfort. There were dinosaur stuffed animals and a disco ball showing that Sophia was the life of the party. “She loved the sport but for her, it was all about the relationships. She nurtured some really incredible relationships from the freshman all the way to the seniors in her class with her," said Packard. He also showed Sophia's basketball picture where her teammates added a halo and wings a few months back. “I think her color was a bit on the pictures so the lady who took them made a second one. Well, the second one was the one hanging and as kind of a joke one of my junior girls put a halo and angel wings on a couple months ago," Packard said. "All season that picture was up with a halo and wings was actually hanging in our gym.” Sophia's parents, who were also active members of the school, worked at Real Property Management of the Rockies. “They lived their lives according to a biblical example from scripture," said Jarid Sinkler, operations manager. "We lost Sam and Sarah physically. I don't get to see them in the office every day but when I walk into that office and interact with the people I work with, im interacting with Sam and Sarah every day. Their fingerprints are on everything we touch, everything we do. The way the company operates, the relationships in the office are all built on the foundation of Sam and Sarah Case and their generosity." Sinkler said Sam always lived by the quote "Just do what's right" and he made everyone better and always found the good in people. “That's going to be felt in the community and felt in the school," said Sinkler. "That’ll be felt across the country. He had so much going on, so many relationships." "I think it's motivated me to do the right thing more and more, as much as I can in their honor for sure," said Packard Sophia brother's wanted her basketball jersey to be retired. School leaders plan to do that in the coming months in her honor. The funeral is scheduled for April 11 at 4 p.m. at Timberline Church. More than 1,000 people are expected to attend.