Family killed on Thanksgiving coming from Mexico

ALBERTA, Canada - 9NEWS is learning more about the seven family members from Canada killed in a crash on Interstate 25 near Johnstown Thursday.

It happened around 4:30 a.m. at the intersection of I-25 and Highway 60, about 40 miles north of Denver.

Jacob Rempel Sr., 42, his wife Susana, 40, and their 16-year-old son, Jacob Jr., died in the collision. Global TV/Canwest News Service sent us this picture of Susana and Jacob Rempel Sr. and their family. Jacob Rempel Jr. is in the center of the back row. The couple's sister-in-law, Susana Rempel, 30, and her two young sons, Johan, 3, and Heinrich, 1, also died in the crash, along with family friend John Dick, 33.

Jacob Sr.'s brother Isaak stayed behind with his three older children while his wife and two youngest sons headed south to visit her parents.

The Rempels and John Dick were Mennonites originally from a colony in Mexico. They were living in Alberta, Canada, but according to the Calgary Herald, had recently driven back to Mexico so Jacob Sr. could sell some vehicles. They left Mexico late Wednesday and the adults were taking turns driving through the night.

The vehicle fell between two bridges and collided with a concrete barrier before bursting into flames. The Colorado State Patrol says there was no indication of braking at the scene. Weather has been ruled out as a factor in the crash.

Susana and Jacob Rempel Sr. leave behind five of their children: Tina, 15, Peter, 18, Eva, 7, Anna and Susie, whose ages are unknown. (Tina, Peter and Eva are pictured in the accompanying photo.) The couple's sister-in-law leaves behind three children.

Isaak Rempel told the Calgary Herald his wife had wanted him to go to Mexico, but he couldn't get time off of work.

"We were really busy on the job and I said I will give her the money and she could go," he told the paper.