MANTUA, Utah, Sept. 6, 2023 (Gephardt Daily) — Family and friends are paying tribute to four members of a Mantua family killed Friday in a head-on collision near Driggs, Idaho.
The victims were Jennifer Blaine, 46, the driver, daughter Denali Blaine, 11, daughter Emily Blaine Leavitt, 22, and Emily’s husband, Zach Leavitt, 24. The Blaine family dog, Peaches, also died at the scene.
A statement from the Idaho State Police says the accident happened at 9:49 p.m. near milepost 125 of Idaho State Route 33 after the driver’s Tesla crossed the centerline into westbound traffic. The car collided with a Rexburg man’s Kenworth semi. The man in the other vehicle was not reported injured.
According to a GoFundMe account, the car was on the way from Mantua to meet Nathan Blaine, husband of Jennifer and father of their five children, who was hiking with one of the couple’s sons in the Grand Tetons.
“Our hearts are shattered,” the GoFundMe account says. “Not only at the loss of our loved ones, but at the tragic way to which lives were lost.”
The Leavitts had been married just over a year, the account says.
“We see the beauty in them going together. Jennifer, Denali and Peaches were inseparable. We see the beauty there also.
“They were all so compassionate, kind, and lovely in every way. We feel that they all just left a golden wake here on Earth for us to mend our hearts with. All who knew them had more light in their life because of their goodness.
“Jennifer was the director of Promontory School of Expeditionary Learning, in Perry. Denali was 11 and a shining, happy, energetic ray of sunshine everywhere she went. Zach and Emily were madly in love. They loved to travel, explore the outdoors, and were currently diligent, dedicated students downtown at BYU in Provo.”
The emotional tribute continues on the GoFundMe page, which also wishes comfort and peace for the truck driver. As in every case, Gephardt Daily cannot guarantee fundraising money will be used for the stated purpose. To check out the page for yourself, click the link in this paragraph.
