Friends, family mourn SC man killed in I-95 crash north of Fayetteville

RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) -- Friends and family are mourning a young man who was killed in an Interstate 95 crash in North Carolina while on a trip to visit his brother early Saturday morning. Dawson Adams, 19, had stopped his GMC pickup truck along northbound I-95 just north of Fayetteville after a collision with the driver of a Ford Explorer, according to the North Carolina State Highway Patrol. Adams died after his stopped pickup truck was hit by a charter bus carrying 40 passengers and then a tractor-trailer, which pushed his GMC pickup against a concrete barrier, North Carolina troopers said. Two other people were injured in the crash, which happened around 2:10 a.m. near mile marker 63, just north of the exit for Wade Stedman Road, according to troopers. Adams was from Conway, South Carolina, a town in Horry County about 25 miles northwest of Myrtle Beach. He was a graduate of the charter school, Palmetto Academy for Learning Motorsports in Conway. "Please lift the Adams family in prayer as they courageously face a profound loss this Saturday morning, as Dawson's life was cut short in a tragic car accident while en route to visit his brother," family friend Cassidy Waldo wrote on social media. Waldo said that Adams was set to start a career as a welder. "He had a huge heart and brought light to everyone around him. His loss has left a deep void in the lives of those who loved him," Waldo wrote on GoFundMe. The victim's brother, Sage Adams, who has several photos with Dawson, wrote about the loss of his "best friend." "A life that was lived to the fullest that was taken incredibly too soon. I could have never imagined the day that my life would freeze and feel like my world has stopped spinning," Sage Adams wrote. "My best friend, my dreamer, my comedian, my go getter, my support, you will forever be loved, missed, and cherished." A former elementary school teacher also wrote about Adams, posting photos of him as a little boy. "Dawson was one of my all-time favorite students. He was the one that you wished you had a whole class of Dawson Adams!" Melody Lynn Smart wrote on social media. "I will forever remember that smiling blond-haired little boy who brightened each and every day." A close friend wrote about missing Adams, who she called her "bonus brother." "To know Dawson is to know love, joy, and happiness. I’m grateful for every second I was blessed to call you my bonus brother," Madisyn Young wrote. "Please pray for the Adams family while they attempt to navigate this unimaginable situation." Adams' former vocational charter school in Conway also wrote about his passing and noted his time there. "During his time with us, he was known not only for his dedication to his studies, but for his kindness, warmth, and the positive energy he brought into our classrooms and hallways," principal Cedric Brown said. "Whether through friendships, participation in activities, or simple everyday interactions, Dawson made a lasting impression on those around him." A GoFundMe was started to help the Adams family with funeral expenses and other unexpected costs. The initial crash and the deadly portion of the wreck are still under investigation, the highway patrol said.