OVIEDO, Fla. — Four men in one family were killed by an accused drunk driver. Tuesday, the public heard from the widows who lost so much from one tragic crash.
SLIDESHOW: Images From Family's Press Conf. FAMILY TALKS: Watch Full Press Conference VIDEO REPORT: Widows Speak After Tragic Crash
Roy McConnell and his three adult sons were driving home from a movie when they died in the crash. They were on a family vacation together in St. Petersburg. The men had children as young as three months.
The Orange County family struggles to carry on without the father and sons who held them together, Roy McConnell Jr. and his three boys, Roy III, Nathan, and Kelly.
"They were really great guys. And everybody who met them knew they were really great guys," Roy's wife, Amy Voelker-McConnell, said. "My husband, Roy, had strong faith, and part of that faith was forgiveness. And I hope at some point, we can work toward that."
Roy III leaves behind a wife and infant son.
"On March 30th, Roy the fourth was born. We thought we had the rest of our lives together," Roy III's wife, Sandie McConnell, said.
McConnel Family - father and 3 sons - blurby 080210 Roy McConnell and his three sons, Roy III, Nathan and Kelly Nathan leaves a wife and young daughter.
"Each morning, she wakes up asking for her daddy. I don't know what to say to her," Nathan's wife, Anaiis McConnell, said.
And Kelly, just 19, had a steady girlfriend.
"He just didn't have one bad bone in his body. He had his whole future planned," Kelly's girlfriend, Celine Parietti, said.
The four men were tragically killed over the weekend during a family gathering in St. Petersburg when a drunk driver ran a red light and slammed into their car. Now, those left behind are trying to make sense of it all.
"There's no words except, ‘God, please protect all of them," Roy III and Nathan's mother, Lisa Raybern, said.
Loved ones say Roy McConnell Jr. charted the family's course, a man of faith who went to great lengths to help people. But now that he and his sons are gone, their wives now share that responsibility together.
"I would hate for anyone else to have to ever bear this type of tragedy," Amy Voelker-McConnell said.
The family is still finalizing funeral arrangements. A fund has been set up through Bank of America under the McConnell name to help the widows and the two tiny children.
Demetrius Jordan, 20, admitted to being drunk and high on marijuana when he ran a red light and hit the victims.
Jordan survived the accident and is recovering from serious injuries at a St. Petersburg hospital where he made his first appearance before a judge over the phone on Monday; bond was set at $200,000. He is charged with four counts of DUI manslaughter. If convicted, he faces up to 44 years in prison. Jordan will be transported to jail after he recovers from his injuries.
Previous Stories: August 2, 2010: Relative Talks About Father, 3 Sons Killed In Crash August 2, 2010: DUI Suspect Kills Orlando Man, Three Sons