In Loving Memory — Deaf Smith County Crash Victim
Our hearts are heavy as we remember the life lost in the tragic head-on collision that occurred in Deaf Smith County. Early in the morning, around 7:30 a.m. on U.S. 385 south of Vega, a crash forever changed several families and a community.
According to the Texas Department of Public Safety, Kelly Wagner, 57, of Vega, was involved in the collision when she entered the roadway from a private drive and her SUV was struck by an oncoming pickup truck. The impact was severe. Kelly was not wearing a seatbelt and was ejected from the vehicle. She did not survive.
Four other individuals were injured in the collision, and our thoughts are with them and their families as they recover from both physical injuries and the emotional weight of the event.
Kelly Wagner will be remembered not for the moment of the accident, but for the life she lived before it — for the relationships she built, the routines of daily life in Vega, the laughter and presence that those near her knew well. A sudden loss magnifies the value of a life that, only a moment earlier, was still being lived.
This tragedy is also a solemn reminder of how fragile every ordinary morning can be. A familiar drive, a routine turn, a moment’s decision — and the course of many lives is altered. In honoring Kelly’s memory, many will carry forward a renewed attentiveness to safety, to patience on the road, and to the preciousness of each day.
To the family and friends grieving her absence: may you find comfort in shared stories, in the people who stand beside you, and in the enduring impact of a life that was loved. May those injured find healing and strength in the days ahead. And may the memory of Kelly Wagner be carried forward with respect, tenderness, and peace.
