Church welcomes home students injured in Oregon van crash

FEDERAL HEIGHTS - Nine of the survivors of a deadly van crash in Oregon were greeted by a standing ovation on Sunday as they walked, limped or were wheeled into their Colorado church.

"Would you let them know right now how much you love them," Pastor Bo Sosa said.

Members at the New Life Worship Center in Federal Heights say they are both grieving for their losses and singing their thanks.

Two people were killed when the church's van rolled over in eastern Oregon last week. Thirteen of the 16 people inside were ejected and four of the students are still in a hospital in Boise, Idaho. They are all between 18 and 22 years old and were studying in the church's master's program learning to be mentors, musicians and ministers.

"Some of them, their backs are broke, they have broken legs, they have stitches. They're hurting in areas that I can't even number them," Sosa said.

Joshua John "J.P." Pischura of Ohio and Tanue Nichole Winter of Deer Trail, Colo. were killed in the crash. Others were just released from the hospital in the past few days.

"There's a brother and sister that is not with them today, and these balloons, these balloons represent Taune and Joshua," Sosa said.

After Sunday morning's prayer service, the students recounted the crash and the black ice that caused it.

"It all just happened so quickly, but before I knew it, the vehicle just started wobbling," Nicole Byrd, the driver, said.

"I remember flipping and getting thrown from the car," Brett Iserman said.

"I believe Taune and I were thrown the farthest. And I don't really know how far that was. It could have been 100 feet," Keta Smith said.

"I just feel, just blessed to be here today," Javaar Howard said.

They also remembered the friends who are gone.

"We're here, and we're mourning and we're crying and we're hurting, but J.P. and Taune, they have no more pain. Their home is with the Lord," Smith said.

Smith says she tried to get Pischura to respond after the crash.

"I just kept saying, breathe J.P., breathe!" she said.

Both the church's pastor and the master's program leader are heading back to Idaho to support the four students still hospitalized there. They are asking the Federal Heights community, and their church, to continue praying.

The students say they are relying on their church family, each other and their faith to heal.

"I'm just thankful that we're here and that we're all together, and that these people I call family are here and supporting me," Byrd said.

A memorial fund has been set up at North Valley Bank under New Life Worship Center.