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Community remembers teens killed in Eagle Mountain crash

Posted at 9:40 PM, Aug 17, 2016
and last updated 2016-08-18 13:26:24-04

EAGLE MOUNTAIN, Utah -- Friends and family are remembering two teens who died in a crash in Eagle Mountain Wednesday morning.

Authorities said Hailie Godfrey and Simon Olsen, both 18, died on impact.

In that exact spot, friends filtered through to pay their respects, and lay down flowers, cards and candles Wednesday afternoon and evening.

"They were so young getting their lives together, and it’s just super sad," said Celeste Cartwright, who worked with the teens.

She said both Godfrey and Olsen worked at Ridley's, and friends said the two were dating.

One person said Godfrey was supposed to head off to college at Dixie State University the day she died.

Godfrey and Olsen attended Westlake High School, and Godfrey competed on the drill team for two years.

"This morning was hard," said drill team coach Kelli Knight, about breaking the news to the 28 girls on the team. "It was one of the hardest things I've done as a coach."

Knight said the team gathered for regular practice Wednesday morning, but they let the girls go see grief counselors brought in by the Alpine School District.

"There's no way to go through this," she said.

The team gathered later Wednesday evening, to honor Godfrey and make a poster in her remembrance.

"Hailie was kind. She had a big heart, and she was the type of good that you wanted to be," Knight said. "She was always quick-witted, and had something sassy to say to you."

After her two years on the drill team, Knight said, Godfrey graduated and had so much ahead in her life.

"She was going places," Knight said. "She had goals, and was career driven and was ambitious... Her life was just beginning."

Cartwright, who organized the small vigil Wednesday evening, said Godfrey was always willing to help people.

"She was always there for people and whenever somebody needed her, she was always there," Cartwright said.

While Cartwright said she didn't know Olsen as well as Godfrey, she still came across him at work and always found him cheerful.

"Every time I saw him, he had a smile on his face," she said. "He always brought smiles to everybody else."

Friends say Olsen was gearing up for senior year, and after attending school in Riverton was heading back to Westlake High.

Now, both are gone with only memories and a memorial to say goodbye, from those who the teens left a mark on.

"Just, spread the love for them," Cartwright said, tears welling in her eyes. "Wishing that they would still be here with us."