Good News: Charlotte Pastor, Wife Welcome Twins Two Years After Accident Claims Sons

CHARLOTTE, NC -- Two years after a tragic car accident claimed the lives of a South Charlotte couple’s two sons, they have announced the birth of twin sons born Monday.

Hadley and Gentry Eddings announced their delivery July 11. It was much-welcome good news for the couple and their church community at Forest Hills Church in Ballantyne where Gentry is pastor.

In May 2015, the couple’s two-year-old son Dobbs was killed after the family’s car was hit from behind by Matthew Deans near Wilmington, N.C. Hadley was eight months pregnant at the time of the accident, and was forced to have an emergency C-section to deliver their second son Reed, who also died.

The couple have named their new babies Isaiah Dobbs and Amos Reed, according to reports.

"From the tragic loss of their sons, Dobbs and Reed to the remarkable birth of their twins, Isaiah and Amos – God is creating beauty from ashes,” Forest Hill director of communications Stacey Martin told the news station.(Sign up for our free daily newsletters and Breaking News Alerts for the Charlotte Patch. iPhone users can download the Patch app in the App Store. Plus, like Charlotte Patch on Facebook.)

Deans, who was under the influence of acetyl fentanyl and marijuana during the crash, was convicted of two counts of misdemeanor death by vehicle and sentenced to up to 32 months in prison, WSOCTV reported at the time.

The couple publicly said they forgave Deans, and sent the news station a statement following his sentencing: "We are thankful that Matthew Deans was willing to accept responsibility for what has happened. We believe he was sincere in his apology. Our hearts still have compassion for him and we were glad to have the opportunity to express our forgiveness to him directly. Our hope and prayer is that he would be restored and live a good life.”

Photo via GoFundMe