Family of crash survivor experience unimaginable emotions

KAMLOOPS – The family of the young man who was the only survivor in a crash near Lytton that claimed three lives say they are going through unimaginable emotions.

Joseph Garcia, 16, is at Royal Inland Hospital in stable condition following surgery.

Chantel Deneault, Baron Joe and Shelley Garcia were killed when the pick-up the four were in went over a steep embankment about four kilometres north east of Lytton.

In a statement released by the Interior Health Authority, the Garcia family says Joseph “is beginning his journey to recovery.”

They also says they are grieving the loss of family member Shelley Garcia.

“The family would like to thank the community for their spiritual prayers, and physical and mental support, and requests that the media and public respect the need for the privacy that enables everyone to be focused on healing.”

The four young people were originally reported missing on Wednesday. They had been returning from a trip to the Pasulko Lake area where they had been picking wild root vegetables.

Joseph Garcia was rescued and the bodies of the victims recovered when the pick-up was found on Thursday following an extensive search by the RCMP, Search and Rescue volunteers, members of the community and the missing young people's family members.

To contact the reporter for this story, email Glynn Brothen at gbrothen@infotelnews.ca or call 250-319-7494. To contact the editor, email mjones@infotelnews.ca or call 250-718-2724.