GoFundMe Accounts Set Up For Families Of Round Rock Teens Killed In Crash

ROUND ROCK, TX — GoFundMe pages have been created to offset funeral and related costs for the families of three Round Rock teenagers who were killed in a traffic accident on Sunday.

The three teens died when their car collided with a chartered bus carrying members of the Huston-Tillotson University basketball team at SH 71 in Spicewood. June Mary Smith, 18, who was driving the car at the time of the wreck, and passengers Isabella Torres, 17, Taylor Nicole Mendez, 17, all perished while nobody on the bus was injured.

At last check, the GoFundMe account set up for Mendez and Torres, who were stepsisters, had raisd $21,530 of a $25,000 goal. A separate GoFundMe account set up for Smith had exceeded its $15,000 goal by more than $600.

Torres was a junior at McNeil High School while Mendez was a junior at Round Rock High. Smith was a senior at Success High School in Round Rock.

Related stories:

Round Rock Principal Urges Parent Involvement Helping Kids Cope With Grief After Fatal Crash

Three Round Rock Teens Killed After Colliding With Charter Bus In Spicewood

The triple fatality has sent shock waves throughout the Round Rock community and beyond. The principal at Round Rock High School urged parents to reach out to children who may be having trouble coming to terms with the inestimable loss while urging students to avail themselves of help from school counselors to help them cope with their grief.

In a letter to parents and guardians, the principal urged them to look for signs their children might be having trouble processing the deaths and to contact a school counselor, administrator or therapist if the signs are present:

• Restlessness, nervous behavior
• Trouble concentrating
• Difficulty sleeping, frequent nightmares
• Fear of being alone
• Repeatedly asking questions
• Concentrating on previous losses and events
• Change in eating or sleeping habits
• Loss of interest in activities that he or she previously found pleasure in doing
• Significant changes in grades

On the GoFundMe pages, several people — those who knew the girls and those who only heard of them perishing — left heartfelt messages of support and remembrance.

"June was a beautiful spirit and an amazing athlete," Cory Pousson wrote on the page set up for Smith. "I loved seeing her in gymnastics as a young girl flipping all over the place with perfect form."

Courtney McDonald expressed her own grief at the loss of Smith: "Absolutely heartbroken for all of you. I loved sweet Junebug. I remember watching her from the time she was a baby and thinking over the years how she was growing into such a beautiful young lady. So polite, fun and loving."

Also heartfelt were the moving tributes on the page set up for Mendez and Torres.

"I was Taylor's 8th grade ELA [English Language Arts] teacher and I had Isabella in my Advisory class that year," teacher Gigi Lovelle wrote. "I remember them both as beautiful and sweet young ladies. Two of the most wonderful students I ever had. My condolences to family and friends. Heaven received two perfect souls."

Hannah Sewell offered thoughts, conveyed for her entire family: "There are no words to express how sorry we are for your loss," she wrote. "Your sweet angels were very much loved and will be greatly missed."

>>> Photos via GoFundMe