SULPHUR SPRINGS, Texas — While no one looks forward to sudden tragedy, it has the ability to unite neighbors and communities to accomplish great things.
Friday night, sisters Sandy Reed and Keesha Gibbs were driving back from a football game with their children to their home in Sulphur Springs when they were involved in a horrific crash.
Reed's son and Gibbs' daughter survived the crash and were rushed to Children's Hospital in Dallas. Sadly, both sisters died.
Their family and friends remember the women to be as sweet as candy. The Sulphur Springs community felt it was only appropriate to use their sweet tooth to honor and raise money for the sisters at The Sweet Grind, a local candy and coffee shop.
"Tuesday through Saturday of this week, we are doing $5 shakes and floats. And the proceeds will go to the Reed and Gibbs families," owner Laure Cote said. "We will also have a donation jar out and all the money's inside of that will also go straight to them as well."
The sudden passing of the sisters hit the Cote family hard, as they were close friends with both Sandy and Keesha. As soon as they learned of a the tragedy, they felt compelled to help.
"I went to school with Sandy. She was always a very loving, kind person. Always very giving. Very selfless person. Very, very good person. Keesha was the exact same way, always [a] big smile," Laura Cote said. "Sandy and Keesha, and their families, they've really put into the community. And I think it's just a small way for us to be able to pour back into them during this very, very hard time."
The Cote family is only one of a wider community effort to help the family. Businesses and churches in the city are working to remove as much burden from Keesha and Sandy's families as possible.
"Our community shows love. We give back we take care of each other. This Is just what Sulfur Springs is all about. All you have is each other," Laura Cote said. "It's very very important to come together and lift each other up."
Sandy and Keesha's sister Jennifer Pryor has set up a GoFundMe account to help pay for the sisters' funeral expenses and the childrens' medical bills.
Sandy and Keesha's funeral will be held Thursday at Kopkins County Regional Civic Center.