Fargo mother, 3-year-old daughter recovering after crash that killed boys

FARGO - Trista Curry of Fargo, her sister from Wisconsin and their families were planning to surprise their mom Sunday by showing up at her Stephen, Minn., home for a weeklong Easter break.

Amber Eisele on Sunday was about halfway through the 10-hour drive with her partner and three children from Belmont, Wis., when she got the call about sister Trista.

"It was not the surprise that we wanted," she said Thursday, March 29, inside Fargo's Sanford hospital, where Trista and her 3-year-old daughter, Avalon, are recovering from a horrific crash that killed Trista's sons and Avalon's brothers.

Nine-year-old Camden Dean and 19-month-old Maxwell Dean died Sunday en route from their Fargo home to Stephen in northwest Minnesota to see grandparents and cousins excited to hang out and hunt for Easter eggs.

Trista's SUV began sliding on a wet and snowy Interstate 29 just south of Grand Forks when it was hit broadside by a trailing semi driven by a Fargo man.

Since that crash, an online fundraising campaign has raised more than $75,000 to cover funeral and medical expenses.

Sister Amber said Thursday was the first time Avalon was able to go outside her hospital room and visit the children's play area. Avalon sustained multiple facial and skull fractures, which are expected to heal with time.

"Hopefully she will be discharged in the next few days, if everything goes well," Amber said of her niece.

As for Trista, she is dealing with a severe liver laceration and blood accumulating in her chest that requires a tube to drain it. Along with several broken ribs, Trista also has a broken arm.

"Right now they aren't able to do surgery on the humerus (upper arm), so we're waiting on when it's safe to do that," Amber said.

Bryan Dean, Trista's partner and father of the children, is at the hospital daily, as are other relatives.

"He's doing as well as can be expected. He's trying to be strong for everybody," Amber said. "It's tough trying to be the one who is holding everything together for them."

Amber said it is going to be a long road to recovery and, while there are no words that can describe what the family is feeling at this time, they are glad Trista and Avalon are safe.

Funeral services for the boys with Austin Funeral Chapel in Stephen will be scheduled at a later date.

To donate to the YouCaring fundraiser for family funeral and medical expenses, visit www.youcaring.com/trista .