Sioux Falls teen crash victim recalls Saturday morning tragedy

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — “My heart was breaking in pieces. I feel so sad. I feel so breaking for all these kids who couldn’t make it. It was sad,” Edith Barjebo, the mother of a surviving crash victim, said.

Eric Hopkins and Milana Reeves, both 15 years old, lost their lives in a crash early Saturday morning . They were inside an SUV that went off the road near East 18th Street and South Second Avenue, colliding with a tree and a home. Five kids inside the car were hurt, including Ali Barjebo, who says he was in the backseat with “MiMi” Reeves.

“I just had my head down and I had Mimi’s head down with me. All I heard was smash. I woke back up. I was on the ground somewhere over here,” Ali Barjebo said.

Later that morning, two officers knocked on Edith Barjebo’s door and told her Ali was in the hospital with a broken arm.

“When I went to the hospital, I saw my son. I shed tears and in less than an hour they took him to surgery,” Mom said.

Edith says her son had gone out with friends. She doesn’t know any of the other kids’ families, but that doesn’t make the heartache any less.

“I don’t know what to say. I’m so hurt,” Edith said.

A memorial now sits near the scene of the crash. Candles and flowers are left to honor two lives cut short and also send a message of hope for those now healing from their injuries.

GoFundMe’s have been created for the families of Eric Hopkins and Milana Reeves.

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