LIBERTY COUNTY, Fla. (WTXL) — Five months to the day that Hurricane Michael wrecked havoc on the Panhandle, tragedy stuck again.
Liberty County baseball coach Corey Crum and his wife Shana were electrocuted while cleaning up the Bulldogs baseball field. The community has been forever changed and have tried to turn the unspeakable into a lesson of love for years to come.
The thing about time; It goes on, but for Liberty County, the memories are everywhere.
"His wife would come up with these neat sayings about putting 110% in," said Superintendent of Liberty County Schools David Summers. "I see that everywhere I go."
"That's what he expected of them, and that's what they need to give knowing that he's watching them," said Tim Davis, the assistant principal of Liberty County High School.
"He had that desire not just to win, but to build young men," said Davis.
Memories they keep close to overcome Bristol's darkest hour. Memories that keep Corey and Shana Crum alive.
"That's the first thing that comes to my mind is that these kids witnessed something no one should ever witness, much less 17-18 year old kids," said Davis.
In March, Corey Crum was working to replace a scoreboard at the Bulldogs baseball field that was destroyed by Hurricane Michael.
A boom truck coach Crum was using came in contact with an overhead power line. He was electrocuted and killed. His wife Shana ran to his aid, where she too was electrocuted and killed.
"There was no script for it. We just had to make our way," Summers explained. "We held each other tight. The family came in and we held them tight as well."
That's the thing about small towns: They're tight knit and the Liberty County community felt the love from around the Panhandle, the Big Bend, and the country. They were neighbors that helped make everything seem a little smaller.
"We had support come in from Tennessee, from Michigan, just people we don't know!" said Davis.
"We couldn't have gotten through it without everybody holding onto each other," said Summers. "I saw so much of that the day of the tragedy. Folks were just clinging to each other."
A tragedy that's forever changed Liberty County. Change that even though he's gone, coach Crum would be proud of.
"I think we've learned to appreciate one another better," said Davis.
"We came together like I think we've never seen Liberty County come together," said Summers.
"That's something that's kind of really defined the program here," Davis explained. "We lost those two wonderful people, but we'll never forget them, and we'll do our best to play in their name and in their memory."
Memories they'll never forget of two people who will never be forgotten.
Several members of the baseball team as well as the Crum's son Chase were at the field the day of the tragedy. Chase tried to help his parents, was injured, but survived.
