Two Texas teenagers were killed last week on a road trip to visit a Christian college in Missouri. Brinlee Farris and Hannah Zebreski, both 18, were driving to preview Urshan University with a 16-year-old friend.
On the morning of April 3, their vehicle hydroplaned during a thunderstorm in Atoka County, Oklahoma. The Jeep Compass driven by Farris crossed a median into oncoming traffic, triggering a five-car accident.
Farris and Zebreski, who were ejected from the vehicle, both died at the scene. Their younger friend was seriously injured, as was the 63-year-old driver of another vehicle.
According to the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, the cause of the accident was “unsafe speed for wet road conditions.” Public Information Officer (PIO) Mark Southall described the weather at the time as “treacherous,” saying, “I don’t think that they would’ve lost control if it hadn’t been for that heavy downpour.”
Although the teens weren’t from Oklahoma, Southall said Atoka County residents have been shaken by the tragedy. “When something like this happens, especially involving teenagers who had a bright future ahead of them, it hits everybody in the community hard,” said the PIO. “They had a lot going on for them, and unfortunately, a mistake took two lives way too early.”
Urshan University Extends Condolences, Prayers
Urshan University, which is affiliated with the United Pentecostal Church International, held an event for prospective students last weekend on its Wentzville, Missouri, campus. After learning about the fatal crash, the school posted a tribute to the two teens on social media.
“Though Brinlee and Hannah were not students at Urshan University,” it wrote, “we looked forward to connecting with them this week. We grieve with those who knew them and hold their loved ones close in our thoughts.”
Sending prayers to the teens’ families, the school added, “May God’s peace and comfort surround everyone affected by this tragedy.”
The university’s online followers also expressed sorrow at the news. “I don’t even know who they were, and still I am in a lot of pain and deep sorrow,” someone wrote about Brinlee and Hannah. “May God’s Peace and Grace [console] every broken heart.”
Churches, Families Mourn Loss of Two Teens
Brinlee Farris was a member of Victory Life Church in Corinth, Texas. In an online tribute, the church described her as “a light to all that knew her.” Another local church shared that Farris had recently helped lead an energetic youth rally at their facility.
