Woman Takes Final Photo With Friends Just Seconds Before They’re Pronounced Dead
A teenage girl shared a heartbreaking final social media post just moments before she died, taking a selfie with her friends.
Three teenage friends lost their lives in a preventable accident that has left lasting impacts.
On a sunny October day in 2011, three friends ventured to the Covered Bridge Canyon crossing in Spanish Fork Canyon, Utah.
The group consisted of 15-year-old Essa Ricker, 15-year-old Kelsea Webster, and Kelsea’s younger sister, 13-year-old Savannah Webster.
However, soon after the three posed for a selfie, tragedy struck.
The teenagers were fascinated by the trains that regularly passed through the area. They had been waving to engineers on a Utah Railway train as it passed by, enjoying the excitement of being close to the massive locomotives.
However, their focus on one approaching train would prove to be a fatal oversight.
As the friends positioned themselves near the tracks, they were unaware that another train was approaching from the opposite direction.
Utah County Sheriff’s Sgt Spencer Cannon explained that the space between the two trains was only three to four feet, creating a dangerous situation with powerful turbulence, per the Daily Mail.
In what would become her final social media post, Savannah shared her excitement on Facebook: “Standing right by a train ahaha this is awesome!!!!”
The girls decided to take a selfie together, posing near the tracks as one train passed by.
Tragically, they failed to notice the second train coming from the opposite direction. In their final photograph, the headlights of the approaching Union Pacific train are visible in the background – a haunting detail that would only be recognized after the accident.
John Anderson, the conductor aboard the eastbound Union Pacific train, witnessed the unfolding tragedy.
Along with engineer Michael Anderson, he desperately tried to alert the teenagers to the danger.
“They were in their own little world,” John Anderson explained to Union Pacific. The train crew blasted the horn repeatedly, but the girls remained focused on their selfie, oblivious to the warnings.
“We watched in horror as we got closer,” John explained. “We saw them for about 12 seconds until they disappeared from our sight and the train continued moving forward.”
The train was traveling at approximately 39 mph, and despite applying emergency brakes, it was impossible to stop in time.
Trains traveling at such speeds can require more than a mile to come to a complete stop.
When the train finally stopped about a quarter mile down the track, John Anderson raced back to the scene. The impact had been devastating. Essa Ricker and Kelsea Webster had died instantly from their injuries.
However, Savannah was still alive, though severely injured. Anderson stayed with the 13-year-old, trying to provide comfort in her final moments of consciousness.
“I told her everything would be OK and she relaxed a little,” Anderson said. “I hoped she would make it, and for some reason I really thought she would.”
Savannah was rushed to the hospital, where she underwent surgery. However, her injuries were too severe, as she had suffered over a dozen broken bones, internal bleeding, and catastrophic brain injuries.
Three days after the accident, doctors delivered devastating news to Savannah’s family. Her mother, Jayna Webster, shared the painful update on her blog (per Her Family):
“We spoke to the doctors today, and they informed us that Savvy’s brain injuries were too great. Even though they’ve done everything possible, Savannah will not be able to recover any further.
“We will keep her on life support till the end of the day, but it’s time to say goodbye, for now, to an angel that walked among us.”
The tragedy left deep emotional scars on the train crew who witnessed the accident. Both John and Michael Anderson, fathers of teenage daughters themselves, struggled with the psychological impact of the event.
“What happened was very intense and I have to carry it the rest of my life,” Michael Anderson said, per VT. “I don’t know what John saw that night, and I don’t want to know what he saw that night.”
Essa Ricker was remembered as ‘a free spirit who had her own style.’
Her obituary described her as having a trademark beautiful smile, often wearing mismatched socks and bright colored shoes. She loved taking pictures, drawing, and gymnastics, and was a beloved student at Diamond Fork Jr. High School.
Essa was laid to rest on October 20, 2011, while Savannah and Kelsea’s family held a joint funeral for the sisters on October 22, 2011.
In the wake of this preventable tragedy, Jayna Webster has dedicated herself to spreading awareness about railroad safety. Her goal is to ensure that no other family experiences the devastating loss she endured.
“The accident that took my daughters’ lives was preventable and a good illustration of how close a train can be without hearing it,” Jayna said. “No one should have to go through this, and I hope people will seriously think about the campaign’s rail safety message and share it with their loved ones.”
Union Pacific has launched several campaigns aimed at promoting rail safety, with a particular emphasis on the dangers of taking photographs near train tracks. Their message is clear and direct: no selfie is worth your life.
Michael Anderson’s words serve as a powerful reminder of the ripple effects of such tragedies:
“Think about the pain it would inflict on their families if things went wrong. It also hurts the train crew, the first responders, and the many people who love you.”