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9 In Oregon Van Crash Return To Colorado

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Nov 16, 2009 3:38 pm US/Mountain

9 In Oregon Van Crash Return To Colorado

Written by Andrea Lopez

Reporting
Andrea Lopez
DENVER (CBS4) ― It was a special Sunday service at the New Life Worship Center in Federal Heights. Nine of the church members who survived a tragic van crash in Oregon Thursday attended services, some in wheelchairs and others in neck braces. They received a standing ovation.

The survivors are part of the Rocky Mountain Masters Commission program through New Life. The students come from all around the United States. Sixteen of them were attending an event in Oregon when the van they were traveling in slipped on black ice and rolled several times. Most of the passengers were thrown from the van.

"The vehicle just started wobbling a little bit and then it just kind of veered over to the right hand side," said Nicole Byrd, the driver of the van. "By that time I just had no control over it. Before I knew it, we were flipping and tumbling. We were also just hanging upside down by our seatbelts in the front. At that point I didn't know where everyone was or if anyone was still in the vehicle. I just kind of reacted ... and just got out. There were bodies everywhere."

Joshua Pischura from Ohio and Taune Winter Pepper from Colorado were killed in the crash. Four of the survivors remain in serious or critical condition at a hospital in Boise.

Friends say that Taune's gifts included an unconditional love for people and an ability to always put others first. Joshua is described as having an unprecedented passion for life, capturing and relishing every moment.

The survivors of the crash say they find peace in knowing that their loved ones are now with God.

"That's the best thing that we can ask is that he's in no more pain," said accident victim Keta Smith. "We're feeling pain but he has no more tears and rejoicing, and dancing and worshiping the Kings of Kings and the Lord of Lords."

The members of the commission consider themselves family, and say that their comfort has been in the fact that they have all remained together throughout this entire ordeal.

(© MMIX CBS Television Stations, Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

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