Mother remembers her children lost in Mother’s Day wreck in Emporia

TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) -On May 8th of 2021, Heather Luby lost her 17-year-old daughter, Chase and 13-year-old son, Paxton in a car wreck in Emporia. Chase and Paxton were two out of three teens killed when their car hit a tree and went into the Cottonwood River.

She told 13 NEWS how she wants her children’s legacy to carry on.

A year ago, just hours before Mother’s Day, Luby did something she hopes no parents ever have to experience.

“I do remember identifying my children, you know they portray that scream that mothers do when they lose a child, I hope no one ever has to hear that, I heard the other Heather’s and that will forever be in my mind,” said Luby.

One year later, the anniversary of her children’s passing landed on Mother’s Day.

“After that accident took place, I found what my kids were going to get my on that Mother’s Day and it was a really big card and a frame and a picture of them.”

“They were my life,” she says.

Now, she has a way to keep them close to her heart forever. She has two tattoos, one on each leg with images of her children’s favorites.

“We have Pooh bear because me and her dad called her Pooh bear, every since she was a year old.”

“Also his xbox and his code name, Dup2paxy, was his gamer name,” she said.

Luby says she has advice for anyone else who might experience a similar tragedy.

“It’s a day by day thing sometimes, and it comes in waves you know, you’re fine one day and then you completely melt down the next. There’s no proper way to grieve and I want other parents to know that.”

But, she says more importantly.

“I want them to be remembered, their legacy to live on when it was cut so short. They were beautiful, beautiful children and I may be bias because I’m their mom, but I think the world is going to miss what they had to offer.”

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