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'She had a heart of gold' | Relative speaks of victim after car hydroplanes into bus

A single accident has taken a young girl's life and thrown a family's world into disarray

HALL COUNTY, Ga. — Days after a deadly head-on collision that claimed a 13-year-old girl's life, a relative of the family is grieving - and telling us more about those struggling to survive.

Summer Anderson was a passenger when the car her father was driving hydroplaned into a school bus in Hall County. The accident took her life and left her father, Lonnie, with critical injuries.

“Summer was a beautiful, loving, typical teenager," Michael Smith said. "She had a heart of gold. What made Summer standout differently from other teenagers is her compassion to help people.”

Now he's in shock realizing that he will now be attending the young girl's funeral which is yet to be finalized.

“Summer will never not be missed," Smith said. "She is something that is definitely a blessing from God. It gives the family some comfort and some peace knowing she is now at peace with God.”

Meanwhile, he said her mother is devastated and is traveling between two hospitals where her son and husband remain.

One dead in head-on collision between Hall Co. school bus and vehicle

'My angels' | Bus driver thanks motorists who helped calm kids after deadly wreck

“She just lost her 13-year-old daughter. Her 12-year-old son is at one hospital. Her husband is at another hospital fighting for his life," he said. "When I continue to talk with April I’m amazed by how strong she is trying to be during this situation.”

Lonnie is at Northeast Georgia Medical Center where he's still struggling each day to survive. He suffered two broken femurs, a broken pelvis, broken shoulder and a fractured neck. Michael said that he's still listed as critical but in stable condition.

"We don’t know what he remembers or what he knows right now. But prayers is the utmost of what we are asking for," he said. "The nurses and the doctors want to make sure that his healing process continues to increase before we even address that with him."

Several miles away, Zach is improving but still faces a long road to recovery.

"One of the true miracles is that Zach walked away with no broken bones," Michael said. "If you look at the car, it looks as if it was hit by a train how much it was impacted.”

At just 12 years old, he's now undergoing facial reconstruction surgery and has been moved out of intensive care. But he's also starting to ask questions that only have heartbreaking answers.

“We are waiting patiently to break the news to Zach. Once that happens it is definitely a time that prayers are needed,” Michael said.

As he watches his own family struggle through tragedy, Michael said his heart goes out to the bus driver and elementary school students who were on the bus.

“This is a tragic situation altogether. It is a blessing and a miracle that none of the children were seriously injured," he said.

He talked about the hospital's response to the wreck and how they helped so many in such a short time.

"They brought in 50 to 60 people to address this situation very rapidly and to find out the children have made it through without serious injuries," he said. "It is a blessing for the Anderson family, for myself and anyone that is involved."

The Hall County Solicitor General said she is working to review the accident to see if charges are appropriate. But Stephanie Woodward said she's also trying to make sure the case is handled appropriately.

“I strive to be respectful to all parties, allowing time for grieving and healing from the accident and taking time to receive and review all information,” she said.

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